The Disappearing Deejay Dilemma
by LuckyLadybug
Summary: CONCLUDED WITH CHAPTERS 19 AND 20! PLEASE READ AND LEAVE A NICE REVIEW! Don't be fooled by the title this is another very dangerous mystery in the lives of the YGO gang! This time, they might not survive the results. . . .
1. The Deejay Vanishes

Yu-Gi-Oh!  
The Disappearing Deejay Dilemma  
By Lucky_Ladybug  
  
  
Notes: As always, the YGO characters aren't mine! And also as always, this isn't yaoi ^_~ Hope y'all enjoy! Oh, the deejay character belongs to my bud JP ^^  
  
  
Joey sighed, clicking on the radio in Yugi's game shop. "Man, am I bored!" he declared. "There's nothin' to do today!"  
  
"That's fine with me!" Tea remarked. "I'm tired of running from psychos bent on murdering us!"  
  
Yugi chuckled. "I can't say I blame you there."  
  
"How many mysteries have you solved now?" Marik asked curiously.  
  
"Five," Yugi replied. Their most recent case had revolved around Marik's fight with amnesia a while back. Their old enemy had eventually regained his memories, but he also had repented of his past evil-doings and was now their friend.  
  
"Yeah, that's right," Joey grinned. "First there was the skiing mystery in Utah. Then, when we came back home, there was the Halloween mystery, the UFO mystery, the Christmas mystery, and then your mystery!" he concluded.  
  
Marik shook his head in disbelief. "I don't know how you managed to survive through all of those, if they were all like the last one. We barely escaped that one with our lives intact!"  
  
"Well, that's the way it usually goes," Joey replied with a shrug.  
  
"I'd be more than happy if we could just relax for a while," Tea declared.  
  
On the radio, the deejay was beginning the new hour. "And this is KETY—K-80's, Domino City's leader for all the great music you remember from the '80's, and I'm Joltin' JP Palmer to take you through another hour of fun!"  
  
Tristan absent-mindedly ate a pretzel. "That guy's been on KETY for years," he remarked idly.  
  
"He certainly has been," Bakura nodded. "He was even there before my father started traveling." And before I got the Millennium Ring, he added silently.  
  
"I'm sure all of us have our memories of Joltin' JP," Yugi said, playing with the chain his Millennium Puzzle was hanging from.  
  
"Man, there's gotta be somethin' we can do!" Joey cried in frustration. "I don't wanna just listen to music all day!"  
  
JP was busy talking to his audience as he often did between songs. "And how's your day going?" he was asking. "Man, I've had a real doosie! I found out some crazy secrets that you'd never believe!" A recorded chorus of "Oooohs" played.  
  
"I didn't know he was a shock jock," Tea remarked.  
  
"A what?" Marik blinked, unfamiliar with the American expression.  
  
"A disc jockey who says offensive stuff to purposely shock his listeners," Tristan explained. "Or somethin' like that. But Joltin' JP hasn't ever been like that. He's probably just going to say something inoffensive and funny."  
  
At that moment the radio station's phone rang. "Hold that thought," the deejay cried, pressing a button. "Hello, you're on the air with Joltin' JP! What's your pleasure?"  
  
"Your life," an eerie voice growled. Tea gasped.  
  
JP only laughed. "Some joker, eh folks?"  
  
"This is no joke," a new voice, right in the studio, hissed loudly. What followed was a horrible-sounding ruckus and the sound of screaming. Suddenly all was silent.  
  
The teens stared at the radio in disbelief, their eyes wide.  
  
"Man, Joey, do you always havta want something to happen?!" Tristan exclaimed at last.  
  
"Hey, that's not the kind of somethin' I was thinkin' of!" Joey cried.  
  
Yugi leaped up. "That deejay might be hurt! We have to get to the radio station immediately!"  
  
"They might not let us in," Marik objected.  
  
"Well, we have to try," Yugi replied firmly, running to the door. The other five teens followed.  
****  
When they arrived at the KETY building, they were surprised to see Seto Kaiba pushing past the millions of onlookers and reporters and going through the revolving glass door leading inside.  
  
"Man, what the heck's he doin' here?!" Joey exclaimed in confusion.  
  
"I don't know, but let's follow him," Yugi suggested. "He might be able to get us clearance so we can help out!"  
  
Quickly the group also went through the doors and found no receptionist at the front desk. "That's odd," Tea commented nervously. "And where did Kaiba go?!"  
  
"Down that hallway," Bakura pointed.  
  
"Well then, what're we waitin' for?!" Joey ran down the hall in hot pursuit before the others could stop him.  
  
"I hope he knows what he'd doing," Tea muttered as they followed.  
  
"With Joey, that's highly unlikely," Tristan replied.  
  
"That's what I was afraid of," Tea sighed.  
  
As they continued down the corridor a cry of pain was heard and a masked man suddenly tore past, shoving Tea and Bakura against the wall in order to get by.  
  
"Hey!!" Tristan yelled, but the man didn't even bother to turn around.  
  
"What was that all about?" Yugi wondered worriedly, turning to help Tea and Bakura regain their balance. "And what was that awful scream?!"  
  
"How did you kids get in??!" an unfriendly voice growled suddenly, and the five teens turned to see a stout, balding man glaring at him.  
  
"We . . . we were listening to the radio," Yugi tried to explain, "and . . ."  
  
"Of course you were!" the man snapped. "EVERYONE was listening to the radio!! But no one was supposed to be allowed inside here until the police arrive!!" He eyed them suspiciously. "And I can see that you're all too young to be officers."  
  
Bakura looked embarrassed. "Well, we followed Seto Kaiba in here," he admitted. "But we'll leave if . . ."  
  
"Seto Kaiba?!" the man gasped, turning a shade pale. "Oh no. . . . I didn't think he'd find out so soon . . ."  
  
"What do you mean, sir?" Yugi asked, blinking.  
  
The man shook his head. "This station is owned by KaibaCorp," he explained, hurrying down the hall. "Did Mr. Kaiba come this way?"  
  
"Yeah he did, and so did our pal Joey!" Tristan declared as they rounded a corner. "But can you tell us what happened to the deejay?"  
  
The man didn't pay any attention. "Oh, Heaven help us!" he shrieked, stopping short.  
  
"What is it?" Yugi gasped, and then he and the others saw Joey kneeling on the floor next to Seto, who had fallen to the floor against the wall and was clutching his left arm in apparent pain.  
  
"Come on, Kaiba," Joey grunted, grabbing the other boy's arm. "Let me have a look!"  
  
"It's just a scratch," Seto retorted, keeping his hand firmly clamped over the wound. Blood dripped from between his fingers. "I don't need you to examine it."  
  
"Just what happened here?!" the man demanded, going up to them.  
  
"I don't know," Joey replied. "Some masked man just shoved me aside and ran down the hall, and then I found Kaiba slumped on the floor like this . . ." He trailed off. "Hey! Who the heck are you, anyway?!"  
  
"I, young man, am Bruce von Wilkenson, the manager of this station!" the man replied hotly.  
  
"Kaiba, are you alright??" Yugi gasped, and Tea pushed Joey aside to kneel next to the stubborn boy.  
  
"I'm fine," Seto replied typically, but Tea could see he was in pain.  
  
"Kaiba, did that masked man do something to you?!" she demanded, trying to pry his hand away.  
  
"I can take care of it myself," Seto mumbled.  
  
"Oh, this is outrageous!!" Bruce screamed loudly enough that the pictures on the wall began to shake. "First JP vanishes in the middle of his show, and now Mr. Kaiba's been injured! . . ."  
  
"JP vanished?!" Yugi gasped. "We heard some strange caller on the show who said . . ."  
  
"I'm quite aware of what that caller said!" Bruce said grouchily. "And right after he said that, I heard someone in the studio who wasn't supposed to be there!" He clenched his fists. "The sound engineer couldn't tell us anything; he'd been hit over the head in his booth right before that ruckus started! But JP's missing, and that masked man must have been hiding out, just waiting for someone to come in through the door. . . ."  
  
"But where would JP have disappeared to?!" Yugi exclaimed.  
  
"That's just it!! There's only one way out of the studio, and no one came out through that door until that masked man did!" Bruce cried. "JP just vanished into thin air!!"  
  
"But that is impossible," Marik objected, folding his bare arms over his sleeveless shirt.  
  
"I know it's impossible, young man," Bruce growled, "but it happened!!"  
  
Tea, meanwhile, was desperately trying to get Seto to allow her to treat his injury. "Look, Kaiba," she said in frustration, "I'm not going to let you bleed to death on me!!"  
  
"I'm not going to bleed to death," Seto retorted. "You worry too much. It's only a scratch." He slowly rose up. "I can treat it myself."  
  
Tea wasn't convinced. "You'll probably get involved with this deejay mystery and forget about it," she told him flatly.  
  
Seto grunted. "That would prove it's nothing to be concerned about."  
  
"Mr. Kaiba, sir, I most heartily apologize for whatever that man did to you on these premises . . ." Bruce tried to say.  
  
"Save it." Seto glared at him. "What happened to the security around here?! How did anyone get in to do harm to the deejay?"  
  
"I don't know, sir," Bruce said after taking a deep breath. "The security here was fine. There is no way those intruders could have gotten in without my knowledge!"  
  
"And yet they did," Seto replied ironically.  
  
That's when the police came in. "Officer Gabrielle Valesquez," the woman said, holding her badge up. "What has happened here?"  
  
"That's what we're still trying to figure out, Officer," Bruce replied. "I've been waiting to look in the studio until you arrived." He opened the door to the studio and led the police inside. The teens followed.  
  
"This is a serious crime scene," Gabrielle's partner said sternly. "What are you kids doing coming in here?"  
  
Seto sighed loudly. "They're with me," he said, still clutching his arm.  
  
The officer looked Seto up and down. "Whatever you say, sir," she said at last. "But you'd better have that arm checked."  
  
"I'll take care of it," Seto responded in irritation.  
  
"Oh my!!" Bakura cried, looking around at the studio in alarm. The entire place had been turned upsidedown—literally. Most of the equipment was standing up wrong or sprawled on the floor, and the furniture was scattered left and right.  
  
"How horrible," Yugi gasped, shaking his head. Obviously something terrible had happened to the deejay . . . but what? And why?! What had he meant by that strange statement that he'd learned some "crazy secrets"?! But if it was something dangerous, why on earth would he have mentioned it on the air?!  
  
Suddenly Tea shrieked and everyone turned to look at her.  
  
"What is it?" Seto demanded.  
  
Tea pointed shakily at the wall, where an eerie message was written in a bright red, bloody color.  
  
Joltin' JP has done his last on-air performance,  
And KETY Radio will never operate again! 


	2. A Most Puzzling Case

Notes: Oookay, there's quite a few of 'em for this chapter ^^ To BakurasGrl66: Have you checked out "Stolen Memories"? That's the first fic I did with Marik, and he has more of a starring role in it ^_^ To YGOCritic: I don't know why that always happens. It just . . . does. ^_~ And now, the general chapter notes: This story is meant to take place before the short story "Dance Without Me," but both of those are supposed to be friendship only, not romance ^_~ Whoo, now that that novel's over, On to the story!! ^_^   
  
  
Everyone made their way over to the scribbled wall seriously, and Gabrielle's partner snapped a picture for evidence.  
  
"What is that?!" Tea demanded, indicating the deep red color of the graffiti. "It isn't blood . . . is it?"  
  
Gabrielle studied it, her eyes narrowed.  
  
"Actually . . ." Seto spoke up, glancing at the wound in his arm and then up at the wall, "I think it might be."  
  
Yugi and Bakura looked sickened.  
  
"What's happening?!" a new voice cried, and suddenly two young kids appeared on the scene.  
  
"This is no place for you!" Bruce said angrily. "I hired you to deliver the mail, not to disturb crime scenes!!"  
  
"Crime scenes?!" the boy exclaimed, his eyes wide as saucers.  
  
"Did someone get murdered?" the girl gasped.  
  
"NO!!!" Bruce thundered. "Now get out of here, both of you!!!" He slammed the door before the two preteens could enter.  
  
"Who were those two geeks?!" Joey exclaimed, nearly tripping over a sound woofer.  
  
"Bernard and Elsa," Bruce muttered. "But don't bother about them. They're of no consequence here."  
  
"What if they saw something?" Tea suggested.  
  
"I doubt it," Bruce grumped. "They're the type who let their imaginations run wild. They can't help us."  
  
Yugi took note of Bruce's behavior, finding it a bit odd.  
  
"Hey, what's this?" Marik bent down to the floor, pointing to what seemed to be a tie clip.  
  
"Evidence," Gabrielle replied, leaning down and picking it up in a plastic bag. The teens crowded around to stare at it. It was rather odd and unusual and was shaped like a rattlesnake. "This is our best clue so far," the officer remarked, after finding out from Bruce that it didn't belong to JP.  
  
"It might be our only clue," Tristan remarked, staring at the studio. Everything was a shambles, but there didn't seem to be any more evidence pertaining to the deejay's attackers.  
  
"Isn't there anyone who might have seen something?" Seto demanded now.  
  
"The only one is the sound engineer, sir," Bruce replied, "and I told you that he was hit over the head before all this even happened. He doesn't know a thing about JP's disappearance."  
  
Seto's eyes narrowed in vexation.  
  
Tea was about to order him to let her treat his injury when the door burst open and a chipper redhead danced in, her eyes bright and alert. "Oh Bruce, what happened in here?!" she gasped, staring at the room in disbelief. "Did JP have another of his wild studio parties?!"  
  
Bruce stared at the girl, obvious annoyance in his eyes. "No, Miss Granger. JP has disappeared," he informed her.  
  
Miss Granger blinked, then shrugged. "Oh well. I figured it would happen one of these days," she said flippantly, and spotted Seto. Her eyes lighted up. "Ooooooh, you're the famous Seto Kaiba, aren't you?!" she exclaimed, running over and grabbing at his injured arm. Seto narrowed his eyes and pulled away, but she grabbed for him again. "I'm Mandy and I've always wanted to meet you!!" she declared. "You always come up with the most exciting, the most inventive, the most brilliant gaming technology!"  
  
Tea stood watching this, finding herself immensely disliking this girl for some reason.  
  
"Your enthusiasm is appreciated, I'm sure," Seto replied emotionlessly, again trying to pry her hand away.  
  
Mandy blinked, suddenly noticing the blood. "You're wounded!!" she shrieked. "Here, let me help you!!"  
  
"I don't need any help." Seto turned away, but Mandy wasn't about to let him go.  
  
"I know all about how to treat cuts and scrapes!" Mandy insisted, grabbing for him again and knocking him hard against the recording table. Seto winced, knocking his left arm on the wood.  
  
"You're hurting him more than you're helping him!!" Tea fumed, stepping in between them.  
  
"I can handle this myself," Seto grunted.  
  
"Oh be quiet," Tea snapped. "I'll see that Mr. Kaiba is properly cared for!" she said to Mandy, shielding Seto from her clumsiness and over-eagerness.  
  
The other teens blinked as Tea marched off with Seto, leaving Mandy looking completely unruffled.  
  
"I just adore that boy," she declared, stars in her eyes.  
  
Bruce gave her a very irritated glare. "Miss Granger, your duties at this station do not include swooning over Seto Kaiba!"  
  
"I know," Mandy replied in a singsong voice.  
  
"She's totally out of it," Tristan remarked.  
  
"Just exactly what are her duties here at the station?" Yugi asked now, watching Mandy go off on another flight of fancy.  
  
Bruce growled angrily. "None, if she keeps up with this. She's supposed to be the deejay who comes on right after JP's show." He crossed his arms in frustration. "We have another studio where our fill-in guy is just wrapping up JP's show for him, but there's no way I can let Mandy go on the air in her state!"  
  
Yugi chuckled, then sobered. "Bruce, can you tell us more about JP? We'd like to help find him."  
  
Bruce stared. "You're just kids!" he cried.  
  
"Hey!! We happen to be top-rate sleuths!" Joey said defensively.  
  
"That is true," Gabrielle smiled briefly before turning back to dusting for fingerprints.  
  
Bruce sighed. "I'll accept help from anyone if they can just get JP back!! His show is the highest-rated on the station! If we lose him, all of KETY will go down the drain!"  
  
"JP's safety is more important than your ratings," Bakura said sternly, looking upset.  
  
Bruce blinked. "Oh. Well, of course. Just find him for me!!!" he screamed.  
  
"We'll do our best," Yugi promised. "But can you tell us about him?"  
  
Bruce adjusted his tie and tried to ignore Mandy prancing around the room dreamily. "JP Palmer has a photographic memory. He reads these music charts and can rattle them off to the audience without even having to doublecheck. The listeners love him."  
  
"Interesting," Yugi remarked. "But what kind of person is he? Did he make lots of friends . . . or enemies?"  
  
"He has no enemies," Bruce replied firmly. "Everyone was JP's friend."  
  
"With friends who do stuff like this, who needs enemies?!" Joey retorted, gesturing around at the studio.  
****  
Tea half-dragged Seto into an empty studio at the end of the hall and shut the door, still fuming over Mandy's behavior.  
  
Seto pulled himself free now. "Why did you do that?" he demanded. "I can take care of myself."  
  
"I know you can, but that girl was driving me crazy!!" Tea grumped. "And you're not doing anything about that injury of yours, so I'm going to!!"  
  
Seto grunted. "I told you, it's nothing."  
  
Tea grabbed his hand and pried it away from the wound. "I'll be the judge of that," she muttered, staring at the red gash in his arm. "You call that nothing?!" she gasped, her eyes wide.  
  
Seto didn't like being fussed over. He pulled his arm away, ignoring the pain.  
  
"Kaiba, that man stabbed you!!" Tea cried, recognizing the wound as having been inflicted by a knife. She grabbed his arm again and then gently pulled it out from the sleeve of his trenchcoat.  
  
"It's not a life-threatening injury," Seto remarked, sounding vaguely irritated. He draped his coat over his uninjured arm.  
  
Tea rolled up his shirt sleeve in order to properly treat the wound. "Maybe not," she agreed, "this time." She looked down as she got a scarf and pressed it against the abrasion. "But you're always getting into danger. One of these days, Kaiba, you're going to get hurt really badly, and . . ." She bit her lip, narrowing her eyes. "You're not indestructible, you know."  
  
Seto's expression didn't change. "I didn't know you cared that much," he said.  
  
"Of course I care, you lamebrain!" Tea shot back, checking to see if the bleeding had stopped. "You can't leave Mokuba. He's still just a little kid!"  
  
"I would never leave Mokuba," Seto replied coldly.  
  
Tea blinked back what felt like tears in her eyes. "No, you wouldn't. Not if you could help it." She went over to a water cooler and moistened a handkerchief, then came back over and gently cleaned the wound. "But what if you couldn't help it?!"  
  
Seto was silent, subdued by that question. It was his greatest fear—that something would happen to him that he wouldn't be able to control and Mokuba would be left all alone. "None of us knows how long we're going to be here," he said finally, taking the handkerchief and wiping the blood off his hands.  
  
Tea tied the scarf around the injury, knowing somewhere deep in her heart that it wasn't just for Mokuba's sake that she cared about what happened to Seto. "Just . . . try to be more careful," she said softly.  
  
Seto grunted in reply.  
  
Without warning, a loud rock-and-roll tune blared throughout the room and Tea jumped a mile high. "What's that?!" she screamed over the thunderous noise.  
  
Seto turned around, looking immensely irritated at the racket. "It's the CD player!" he declared finally.  
  
"You mean it turned on by itself?!" Tea exclaimed.  
  
"It appears that way," Seto replied, going over to study the machine. "But I'm certain it's just someone's childish attempt to frighten us."  
  
The CD abruptly ceased to play and the two teens looked around suspiciously. "Who's here?!" Tea demanded.  
  
"They might be using a remote-control to get the CD player to work," Seto mused, rolling his sleeve down again and putting his trenchcoat back on.  
  
A spooky laugh echoed throughout the room. Tea let out a shriek.  
  
Seto's eyes narrowed. "Wheeler, I know it's you."  
  
Joey came in through the door, cracking up.  
  
Now Tea was furious. "That wasn't funny, Joey Wheeler!!!" she cried.  
  
But Joey couldn't stop laughing. "Yug sent me to find the two of you," he choked out at last.  
  
"Just how long were you standing there?!" Seto demanded now.  
  
Joey tried to get control of himself. "Oh, I came in when Tea told you to be more careful," he replied, a twinkle in his eye. "By the way, that wasn't me playin' the CD," he added.  
  
"Did Yugi find something out about the deejay?" Tea asked, ignoring those remarks.  
  
Joey shook his head. "I don't think so. Man, this just might be our most puzzling case yet!"  
  
Another eerie cackle ricocheted through the studio. Seto turned to Joey with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"It wasn't me this time!" Joey protested.  
  
"It certainly wasn't," a deep, booming voice declared. "And this will prove to be your last case, you meddling teenagers!!"  
  
With that, a deadly machete flew threw the air and embedded itself in the wall right next to them! 


	3. On the Air!

Joey stared in disbelief. "What the heck?! Alright, who wants a beatin'?!" He poised for attack, heading in the direction the machete had come from.  
  
"Joey, wait!!" Tea cried, but the Brooklyn boy was already running into the shadows, followed closely by Seto.  
  
"Go get the police," Seto ordered.  
  
"Be careful, you two!!" Tea cried, her blue eyes shining with worry.  
****  
Bruce, in the meantime, seemed much more concerned with KETY's ratings than talking about JP.  
  
"Look, why don't you kids go talk to some of the other personnel?" he suggested. "Right now I have to find someone to do Mandy's show for today! She's gone off wandering around the studio in one of her foolish moods! I don't know why I don't fire her . . ."  
  
Yugi blinked. "Um, who do we talk to?" he asked.  
  
"Anyone!" Bruce cried with a wild gesture. "Talk to everyone!" He paused. "But first, have any of you had radio experience?!"  
  
The teens looked at each other, shaking their heads. "None of us have," Bakura spoke up finally.  
  
Bruce's eyes lighted on the silver-haired boy. "You!" he exclaimed. "I want you!"  
  
Bakura gasped. "Me, sir? But why?!"  
  
"Weren't you listening, boy? I need a deejay!!" Bruce grabbed Bakura by the arm.  
  
"But I don't want to!" Bakura cried, his brown eyes wide.  
  
"You're just perfect!" Bruce declared.  
  
Bakura looked to the others for help.  
  
"Hey," Tristan whispered, "this could be a good thing. You can look for clues undercover, you know?"  
  
Bakura gulped. "Well, I suppose I could . . ." he said slowly.  
  
"Wonderful!" Bruce hauled the boy off down the corridor. "Just come into this studio here and warm up!" He opened a door and shoved Bakura in. "You're on in fifteen minutes!"  
  
Bakura got up, staring around at the room. If all the studios were built somewhat the same, he supposed that maybe by studying this one, he'd get some clues as to what happened in the other one. He only wished he didn't have to go on the air to do it.  
  
"How did I ever get into this mess?" he sighed to himself, watching the fill-in deejay wrapping up JP's show.  
  
"Hey there," the man grinned as a song started playing. "I guess you're the new deejay for today, huh?"  
  
Bakura blinked in surprise. "Come again? You don't mean to say that there are lots like me?!"  
  
The deejay laughed. "Well, this is a strange station. It seems that we get a fill-in for someone every day. For some reason, we seem to be kinda accident-prone around here. Just to warn you."  
  
Bakura gasped. "What do you mean?!" he cried.  
  
The deejay paused while he started another song playing. "Well . . . Bruce tries to keep these things under his hat, but everyone here knows how often something happens to one of us deejays. Last week, Mike—the early afternoon guy, right before JP—fell down the stairs and twisted his ankle. Yesterday, the fill-in guy for Mike nearly got knocked out the window by a janitor racing past with his broom. And now, this thing with JP!" He shook his head. "Man oh man . . . things are crazy around here!"  
  
Bakura sank into a chair, his heart pounding. What was he getting into?  
  
"And that's not even mentioning what happened to me this morning," the deejay went on. "I nearly got run over by a truck when I was coming over!"  
  
"Oh my!" Bakura burst out.  
  
The song ended and the deejay turned his attention to the microphone. "Well, that's it for me, ladies and germs! Next up is . . ." He turned to Bakura. "What's your name, anyway?"  
  
"Bakura," the boy replied softly, feeling extremely nervous now.  
  
"That's right!" the deejay crowed. "Bakura will be filling in for Mandy on her show. He promises three hours of fun, fun, fun, so stick around!! This is Darin' Dave, signing off!" He turned off the microphone and grinned broadly at Bakura. "You're on in five," he said, handing the headset to the brown-eyed boy.  
****  
Tea, meanwhile, was on her way back to the damaged studio when she ran right into someone coming out of a storage room. Both of them went to the floor, and the box the other person had been carrying overturned, spilling tapes and CDs everywhere.  
  
"Hey! Watch where you're going!!" the man grumped, reaching for the fallen audio equipment.  
  
"I'm sorry," Tea apologized, standing up. "I'd stay and help you, but I have to find the police immediately! Someone just threw a machete at me and two of the boys who were with me!"  
  
The man grunted, not impressed. "Yeah, so what else is new? That kinda stuff happens all the time around here."  
  
"WHAT?!!?" Tea shrieked. "Why hasn't the station been shut down?!"  
  
The man shrugged. "Von Wilkenson won't let the news of these kinda things leak out to the public. Heck, he didn't even want to call the police in on JP's disappearance!"  
  
Tea was fuming. "That's outrageous!" she declared. "And I guess it's all because he doesn't want bad publicity, right?"  
  
"Guess so." The man scooped up the rest of the CDs and prepared to take off again. "But I have work to do, girlie, so go bug someone else!"  
  
Tea watched him leave, and then hurried on her way, praying that Joey and Seto were alright.  
****  
Joey and Seto, as a matter of fact, were not having much luck finding their attacker.  
  
"Man, he's gotta be here somewhere!" Joey cried, glancing around frantically.  
  
At that moment, something kicked out and knocked Joey to the floor, pinning him down.  
  
"Hey!!!!" the blonde boy screamed, struggling. "Let me up!!!"  
  
Seto rolled his eyes and grabbed the assailant's arm, raising him up. "What are you doing, Bernard?" he demanded, recognizing the younger boy from earlier.  
  
Bernard pulled free. "I'm looking for the criminals around here, and I'm going to find them!" he declared.  
  
"Yeah? Well, I ain't one of them!!" Joey cried hotly. "I nearly got sliced and diced by that machete someone threw!!"  
  
Seto folded his arms over his chest. "Wasn't there a girl with you before?" he demanded of Bernard.  
  
"Elsa," the boy said in disgust. "She's around here somewhere."  
  
"Did you see anyone else in here?" Seto wanted to know.  
  
Bernard shook his head. "Just you and this guy," he said, indicating Joey.  
  
"The name's Joey Wheeler!" Joey cried, frustrated about this whole experience. "And you better not have been the guy who threw that machete!!"  
  
"What?! That's ridiculous!!" Bernard yelled.  
  
Seto looked from one to the other. "While you two engage in your childish argument, I have a criminal to find," he remarked, turning to go.  
****  
Bakura stared at the microphone nervously. "Why did I ever agree to do this?!" he muttered, looking over a stack of nearby CDs.  
  
A flash of light glowed briefly and Yami Bakura appeared, smirking. "Foolish mortal," he remarked.  
  
"Ten seconds," the sound engineer called, seeming to not have noticed the tomb raider's sudden appearance.  
  
Bakura gave the thief a warning look, telling him not to make any embarrassing cracks.  
  
"And we're live!" the engineer announced.  
  
Bakura gulped, adjusting the headset. "Um . . . hello," he said, speaking a bit too close to the microphone.  
  
"Idiot," Yami Bakura muttered, pushing it further away.  
  
Bakura blushed. "Hello," he tried again. "I . . . I have some pleasant songs for you today, from artists such as Huey Lewis, the Police, and . . ."  
  
"Enough of this monotony!" Yami Bakura growled, finding a hard rock song and blasting it out through the loudspeakers. "I *will* rule the world!!" he cried, leaning over into the microphone.  
  
"YAMI!!!" Bakura scolded in horror, leaping out of his chair and taking the microphone with him. "I . . . I'm sorry about this!" he cried over the noise of the music, trying to find the button on the computer that would make it stop playing. Instead he hit a button that played farm sounds. "Oh my!" he gasped as a cow mooed loudly.  
  
The sound engineer stared at him in disbelief, signaling for him to go to a commercial break.  
  
Bakura gulped, beads of sweat appearing on his brow. "Um, we'll . . . we'll be right back after these messages," he tried to say, but upon pressing another button a horrible foghorn tore through the air.  
  
Even Yami Bakura looked ruffled. "What kind of message is that?!"  
  
"Yami, please go back in the Ring," Bakura said in despair.  
  
The phone rang and the boy snatched it up. "Hello, K-80's radio," he said distractedly, still trying to find the buttons that would play the commercials.  
  
"Your show is hilarious, but what happened to the music?!" the caller exclaimed.  
  
Bakura winced as a Halloween scream echoed through the studio. "Don't worry, I'll find it," he promised.  
  
Yami Bakura leaned over again. "You dolt! Let me take over!!"  
  
"No!" Bakura insisted, afraid of what his Yami might say on the air. Pressing another button activated the jingle for JP's show, and the poor boy slapped his forehead in despair.  
  
The phone rang again. "Hello, Bakura speaking," the boy announced, forgetting to give the radio station's name as he frantically looked through the computer commands for something to stop all the racket.  
  
"Hey, who is that guy doing the show with you?" the caller asked.  
  
Yami Bakura grabbed the phone before Bakura could stop him. "Your worst nightmare," he hissed.  
  
"Yami!!" Bakura said in disbelief, hurrying to pull the phone's cord out of the socket. Instead he only wound up becoming entangled in it. The boy leaned on the table, shaking his head in despair amidst scolding from his Yami, the snorting of pigs, and JP's jingle playing blissfully.  
****  
Meanwhile, Yugi, Tristan, and Marik had all split up to speak with the others at the station. They knew it wasn't likely that they'd glean any more clues from the wrecked studio, but Tristan was still planning to stick around until Gabrielle and her partner had finished gathering evidence.  
  
Marik wandered down the hall uneasily. The whole mystery-solving thing was new to him, but after all the calamities that had happened during his own mystery, he wasn't especially looking forward to what might happen during this one.  
  
"Hello?" he called slowly, finding the deserted hallway more than a little eerie. Of course, Marik was no coward, and he inched forward determinedly. He could sense that he wasn't alone. "Who is here?" he demanded, but he received no answer. "I mean you no harm, unless you mean harm to me." He stood in a commanding manner in the middle of the corridor, brandishing his Millennium Rod, but again was met with only silence.  
****  
When Tea finally arrived back at the studio, she was surprised and a bit concerned to find only Tristan there with the police officers.  
  
"Tristan, where's Yugi and the others?!" she exclaimed.  
  
Tristan looked up. "Well, Bakura's doing a radio show, and Yugi and Marik went to question some more people. I decided to stay here and lend my expertise to these lovely ladies," he said, gesturing to the policewomen.  
  
Tea blinked. "Bakura's doing a radio show?!" she said incredulously.  
  
"It's a long story." Tristan stared at her. "So where's Joey and Kaiba?" he wanted to know.  
  
Quickly Tea explained about the machete thrower. Gabrielle's eyes narrowed.  
  
"This is serious," she said, straightening up. "You'd best take me to where they were."  
  
Tea nodded shakily. "Do you . . . do you think they're . . . hurt?"  
  
Gabrielle pursed her lips. "Well, let's just say we shouldn't waste any time getting down there."  
****  
Yugi was wandering down a very different corridor. ~It's strange that things are so deserted around here,~ he commented to his Yami. ~And I have this creepy feeling that something else terrible is about to happen . . .~  
  
**I have sensed that as well,** Yami Yugi said grimly.  
  
Suddenly a blood-curdling shriek echoed down the halls! 


	4. Enter the Viper

All around the building, the scream reverberated loudly and everyone snapped to attention.  
  
"Man, what *is* that?!" Joey gasped, forgetting his quarrel with Bernard for the moment and dashing down the hall. He ran past Seto, and the young businessman stared unblinking after him. Then he slowly followed, feeling uneasy about something.  
  
The other teens—except for Bakura, who was doing his nightmarish radio show, and Marik, who was currently at parts unknown—also all heard and came running. Eventually they found Joey helping a striking, auburn-haired woman to her feet.  
  
"Oh, thank you, darling," she was saying in her thickly-accented voice. "This is so embarrassing . . ."  
  
"Hey, think nothin' of it!" Joey replied, a funny smile on his face.  
  
"Joey, what happened here?" Yugi gasped.  
  
"Oh, I was just minding my own business when I was attacked by a horrible ninja!" the woman cried dramatically, and looked into Joey's eyes. "But this brave knight frightened him off!"  
  
Joey colored noticeably. "It . . . it was nothin'," he stammered.  
  
Seto stared at the woman suspiciously. Something didn't feel right about this—the way she didn't even know Joey and yet was being so familiar with him, putting her arm around his waist and running her finger down his cheek. "Who are you?" he demanded, also sensing eerily that he knew this woman from somewhere.  
  
The woman smiled at him now, and there was something uneasy about the way she pulled her lips back over her white teeth. "My name is Vivalene, darling." She extended her hand, but Seto didn't take it. "It's an honor."  
  
Seto looked at her, his cold blue eyes boring into her green ones. "Why are you here?"  
  
"Hey!" Joey said defensively before Vivalene could answer. "She's been through a lot! And she can do without your pryin' comments, Kaiba. So why don't you just shut up!!"  
  
Seto's quietly outraged gaze turned to the Brooklyn boy. Joey had only just met this woman, but she already had her sharp talons deep in his flesh. Seto would be silent—as Joey wished—but only because he wanted to observe this Vivalene further.  
  
"Vifa!" Bruce's familiar voice cried now, and then the stout man came running up to them. "Oh Vifa! Are you alright?!"  
  
"I'm fine, darling, thanks to Joey here," Vivalene smiled. "He's precious, simply precious!"  
  
Joey grinned, scratching the back of his neck. "Eh, you're too much!"  
  
Bruce turned to him, an expression of immense relief and joy on his face. "Oh, young man, you've saved the new morning show deejay!" he exclaimed.  
  
Vivalene frowned. "Radio personality, darling, not deejay."  
  
"Oh yes. Yes, of course." Bruce patted Vivalene on the shoulder. "She doesn't like the word 'deejay'," he explained. "She thinks it sounds so unrefined."  
  
The red-haired woman smiled again. Tea thought of how different Vivalene was from the bubbly Mandy Granger. "That is true, darling, but there's no need to go into all that," Vivalene said now.  
  
Tea decided that now was a good time to confront Bruce with what that man had told him. "Mr. Von Wilkenson," she began, "is it true that these kinds of incidents have been happening for a while now?"  
  
Bruce blinked, obviously shocked. "Why, young lady . . ."  
  
"It's alright, darling," Vivalene said to Bruce with a smile, her arm around Joey's shoulders. "Since they're going to be helping us find poor JP, why shouldn't they know everything?" She turned to Tea. "Yes, these kinds of things have been going on for ages, but you must believe that it was only recently that they became dangerous. Bruce was going to tell the police all about everything, weren't you, darling?"  
  
Gosh, does she call everyone 'darling'? Yugi wondered to himself.  
  
Bruce fumbled with his tie. "Of . . . of course I was," he said at last.  
  
The teens were also shocked by this revelation. "This is really true?!" Joey cried in disbelief. "There's a deejay missin', and we've already nearly got creamed more than once today!"  
  
"I said I was going to tell the police," Bruce grumped.  
  
"Then tell me," Gabrielle said smoothly, coming up behind Bruce.  
  
"Of . . . of course," the man agreed, looking surprised to see her suddenly there. And a bit flustered as well, Seto observed.  
  
"I'll come with you, darling," Vivalene said firmly, "so I can tell the officer all about that horrible ninja!" She patted Joey on the cheek. "And I will see you soon, I hope," she purred.  
  
"Anytime," Joey grinned.  
  
When the teens were alone, everyone turned to look at Joey in disbelief.  
  
"Man, you've got it bad," Tristan said, shaking his head.  
  
"She's wonderful," Joey replied dreamily.  
  
"I don't know, Joey," Yugi spoke up slowly. "Something seemed kinda fishy about her to me."  
  
"Can you tell us exactly what happened, Joey?" Tea asked.  
  
Joey leaned forward defensively. "Hey! She's an angel! Don't tell me you guys are questionin' her story?!"  
  
"Well, actually . . . yes," Tristan replied. "Did you actually see that ninja she was talking about? She said you scared it off."  
  
"Of course I saw it," Joey bluffed. He actually hadn't seen the ninja, but he supposed that it had heard him coming down the hall and disappeared. After all, Vivalene couldn't be lying about the ninja—he knew she couldn't be!  
  
Seto raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't know, Wheeler. Do you really think she cares about you?"  
  
"Of course she does!" Joey growled. "Man, why are you all gangin' up on her?!" He folded his arms. "She said she wants to see me again!"  
  
"I don't trust her," Seto said darkly.  
  
Joey nodded. "Ohhhh . . . you don't trust her," he remarked sarcastically. "Well, guess what—your opinion ain't worth a hill of beans to me!" he snapped. "She's not interested in you; she's interested in me! And I'm not gonna not be with her just because you don't trust her! You're just suspicious of everyone, Kaiba."  
  
Seto resented that remark. It was true that it was hard for him to trust people since he'd been betrayed so much in his life, but something told him that this Vivalene absolutely did not deserve trust from anyone, and especially not from Joey.  
  
"But Joey, it's not just Kaiba," Yugi tried to protest now. "All of us feel like maybe you shouldn't get involved with her."  
  
Joey sighed. "Look, Yug, I appreciate you tryin' to help me and all, but Vivalene's the sweetest girl I've ever met. There's no way she could be some kinda heart-breaker or whatever it is you're thinkin' she is." He turned to go. "Now, if you'll excuse me . . ." With that he shoved Seto aside and then stormed off down the corridor.  
  
"Joey, wait!" Yugi called, but in vain.  
  
"Well," Tristan said with a sigh, "I'm just afraid Joey's getting in over his head. Again."  
  
Tea nodded in agreement. "He just barely met this woman and he's already seemed to decide that she's just the one for him. I think she seems like a flirt, the way she calls everyone 'darling.'" She sighed as well. "Joey's probably going to get his heart broken."  
  
Seto crossed his arms over his chest. His feelings of uneasiness had little to do with whether Vivalene was a heart-breaker or not. He sensed something sinister and evil about the woman. And when he exchanged a glance with Yugi, he knew the other boy was thinking the same thing.  
****  
Bakura watched helplessly as his Yami again grabbed for the microphone. "Yami, please!" he protested, trying to free himself from the telephone cord.  
  
Yami Bakura smirked. "'Please' what, you dolt?"  
  
Bakura wrestled his way out of the cord. "Please stop saying embarrassing things!!"  
  
Yami Bakura held the microphone just out of the boy's reach. "You do realize that everything we both say is going over the airwaves?"  
  
Bakura groaned. He knew that only too well. He made a grab for the microphone and both he and Yami Bakura toppled onto the floor, while the computer meanwhile had finally decided to cooperate and was playing a Huey Lewis song. Unfortunately, the listeners were also being treated to the sounds of the crashing as Bakura and his Yami fell to the floor.  
  
Bakura pulled on the microphone and it came free just as the song was ending. "And that was Huey Lewis . . . I think," he added after a moment. He glanced up at the sound engineer, who was gesturing to him to wrap things up. "Well, that's the show for today," he said, not able to stop from sounding relieved. "There's more music for you up next, so stay tuned!" The On the Air button went dark and Bakura set the microphone down with a groan.  
  
"Ridiculous mortal," Yami Bakura grumped.  
  
The sound engineer came out of his booth and stared at Bakura in disbelief. The boy looked back at him, dreading what would happen now.  
  
"I'm afraid I really made a mess of things," Bakura sighed ruefully. "I knew I wouldn't be a good radio personality!"  
  
The sound engineer started to laugh. "Actually, you weren't as bad as the one last month," he replied. "But who's your friend?"  
  
Yami Bakura stood up, sneering. "I am not his friend," he grumped.  
****  
In the meantime, Marik was investigating every room he passed in the dark hallway. "I know someone is watching me," he said coldly. In spite of that, he still couldn't find anyone around. He had also checked for hidden cameras, but nothing of the kind was in sight. "Something very strange is going on here," he muttered.  
  
He reached the end of the hall and turned to the right, being prepared for an attack.  
  
What he wasn't prepared for was to run right into Elsa and fall over on the floor.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.  
  
Elsa picked herself up, not even bothering to lend a hand to Marik. "I'm looking for the proof I need to get Bruce Von Wilkenson arrested!"  
  
Marik stared at her in confusion. "I beg your pardon?!" He also stood up, glaring at her suspiciously.  
  
"Von Wilkenson is the one who did something to JP, I just know it," Elsa said stubbornly.  
  
"And just why would he do such a thing?" Marik asked. "He wants ratings for his station more than anything else, it seems, and he said that JP's show is the most popular."  
  
Elsa tossed her head. "Yeah, well, don't you find it kinda odd that he didn't call the police about any of the weird things that happened? He wasn't even gonna call them when JP vanished!"  
  
Marik gave her a funny look. "You mean to say that this is not the first incident to befall the station?"  
  
"Of course not!" Elsa shot back. "Bernard and I have seen all kinds of scary things since we started working here!" With that she proceeded to tell him many of the same things that Darin' Dave had told to Bakura, and Marik listened with intense interest.  
  
"But I still do not see any motive for Von Wilkenson's actions," the Egyptian boy said at last.  
  
"Well . . . I don't either," Elsa replied, "but I'm gonna find out!"  
  
"You'd best be careful in your search," Marik warned. "You cannot accuse people falsely of crimes."  
  
"Oh, I won't tell the police until I get the concrete proof," she assured him, pausing. "Here's something else interesting—you did know that JP wasn't just a deejay on the station, didn't you?"  
  
Marik blinked. "No, I do not believe I did. What do you mean?"  
  
Elsa's eyes glinted and she moved in closer. "He was also the program director!"  
  
"I see." This news rather startled Marik, but he didn't understand really why it would make such a big difference.  
  
Elsa didn't really seem to either, but she didn't let that stop her. "Now if you'll excuse me," she said snootily, "I have to find Bernard." She spat the name out with disgust.  
  
Marik let her pass by, then suddenly thought of something. "Why do you refer to JP in the past sense?" he wanted to know.  
  
Elsa shrugged. "Come on. After what that freaky caller said and everything? We're dealing with murder here!" She hurried off down the hall, leaving Marik more confused than ever. Why wouldn't Bruce have called the police before? Was it his obsession with bad publicity, or was it something else? Nothing made sense, as usual.  
****  
Seto walked down the hall in frustration. They were no closer to solving the mystery. The other people who might be able to help them had already left for the night, so he would have to wait until tomorrow to contact them. There wasn't much more he could do now . . . except call on JP's sister in Summit Hills and see if she knew anything. He had met up with Bernard again, who had informed him of the sister's existence.  
  
As he headed for the door, he had the eerie feeling that he was being followed. He whirled around. No one was there, but Seto knew that they could have quickly dived behind the desk or into a nearby room. "Who's here?" he called. No answer.  
  
He continued on down the hall and out the door. A burly, muscular man was standing there, and he gave Seto an intense look as the boy walked by. Seto stared back, his blue eyes narrowed.  
  
There was something else he was still puzzling over as well. Several weeks ago he had discovered that money had mysteriously disappeared from his company's accounts and concluded that it was being embezzled. He still hadn't figured out who was the culprit behind that, what with all these other disasters always cropping up.  
  
"Hey you."  
  
Seto whirled around. The burly man by the door had spoken. "What do you want?" Seto demanded.  
  
"You're Seto Kaiba, right?" The man flipped a toothpick out of his mouth.  
  
"And what if I am?" Seto stood his ground, preparing for trouble.  
  
"You have a brother, don't you?" the man wanted to know.  
  
Seto was instantly in front of the man, staring into his cold gray eyes. "What do you know about my brother?" he demanded.  
  
The burly man shoved Seto backward. "If you want your brother to stay safe, you'll keep out of other people's business." With that he turned and disappeared into a nearby alley.  
  
Seto immediately regained his balance and gave chase, his eyes aflame with fury. When he reached the head of the alley he stared into the darkness suspiciously—but there was nothing to see. The burly man had vanished! 


	5. Bullet Shower

Seto glared into the alley, his blue eyes narrowed. "Come back here!" he yelled, but his voice only echoed emptily off the dark buildings.  
  
"Kaiba?"  
  
Seto turned to see Tea standing there, looking worried and concerned. "What is it?" he demanded.  
  
Tea came closer. "Are you alright?"  
  
Seto reached for his cell phone. "I'll know in a minute," he replied cryptically. He had to know if his brother was alright. If Mokuba was hurt in any way, then Seto could never say that he himself was alright.  
  
Soon he was rewarded when Mokuba answered the phone. "Hello, Kaiba Manor," he said, trying to sound grownup. Seto could detect a worried tone to the younger boy's voice and realized that he was probably afraid it was the police calling to tell him that his brother was hurt.  
  
"Hey kid," Seto said softly.  
  
"Big brother!" Mokuba cried in delight. "Oh Seto, I've been so worried!"  
  
"I know," Seto told him gently. "I've been worried too. But don't worry—I'll be home soon," he promised. "How are you doing, little brother?"  
  
"I'm fine," Mokuba replied, "but I've been really lonely. I miss you, Seto!"  
  
"I miss you too, kid," Seto said softly.  
  
When he hung up shortly afterward, he found that Tea was still there, watching him. He put the phone away and studied her thoughtfully. Tea stared back, studying him as well.  
  
"I have to be going," the boy said at last, turning to head for his limo. He paused, then turned back slowly. "Are you going home?"  
  
"I guess so," Tea admitted. "There's not anything more we can do tonight."  
  
Seto sighed. "Come with me, then. It's too late at night for you to walk home alone."  
  
Tea blinked. She had been going to walk home with Yugi and the others, so she hesitated for a moment. "Alright," she said finally, deciding she wanted to accept Seto's offer. "Thank you."  
  
Seto didn't answer. Instead he opened the limo door and let Tea go in first. Then he climbed in as well.  
  
They drove in silence for a time, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally Tea asked softly, "How's your arm?"  
  
Seto grunted. "Fine."  
  
Tea had expected that answer. "Really, Kaiba?" she pressed. "Maybe you should see a doctor."  
  
Seto shook his head. "I'm fine," he said again, sounding irritated.  
  
"I'm just worried about you," Tea said softly, looking into his blue eyes.  
  
Seto looked away, a flicker of discomfort showing on his face. "You don't need to be." He glanced out the back window suspiciously, then suddenly ordered the chauffeur to drive up and down several different blocks as quickly as he could.  
  
"What's going on, Kaiba?!" Tea demanded.  
  
Seto didn't answer at first, again looking out the back window.  
  
"Kaiba!!" Tea said in frustration, also looking out and trying to see what he was upset about.  
  
"Someone's following us," Seto admitted at last.  
****  
Yugi, Tristan, and Marik—whom they had just met up with again—were walking down the halls of KETY Radio in search of Bakura and Joey.  
  
"Where's Tea?" Yugi wondered, hoping that she wasn't hurt.  
  
"I saw her go off with Kaiba," Tristan replied.  
  
Before anyone could respond to that, Bakura opened the door of a studio and walked out, looking extremely frazzled.  
  
"Bakura!" Yugi gasped.  
  
"How did your radio show go?" Tristan asked.  
  
"Terrible," Bakura groaned, but didn't elaborate. He looked around. "Where are the others?!" he exclaimed now.  
  
"Well, Tea's with Kaiba, and Joey went off in a huff," Tristan replied.  
  
"Really? Oh my," Bakura said, blinking at that news. "What is he upset about?"  
  
Quickly Yugi and Tristan explained about Vivalene.  
  
Marik's eyes narrowed as he listened. "I know that name," he muttered. "I knew a Vivalene. She betrayed me."  
  
All eyes turned to him questioningly, but the Egyptian boy didn't say more.  
  
"What did she look like?" Tristan asked finally.  
  
Marik was about to answer when Gabrielle and her partner came out of Bruce's office, looking frustrated.  
  
"What happened?" Yugi asked worriedly.  
  
Gabrielle shook her head. "Bruce is obviously hiding something. He told us about some of the incidents that went on, but he was very vague and nonchalant."  
  
Her partner nodded. "He was trying to tone things down so it wouldn't look as bad," she declared.  
  
"Oh dear," Bakura said softly, his brown eyes wide and concerned.  
  
"Tell me," Tristan spoke up, "what's the impression you got of Vivalene when she told you about this supposed ninja she saw?"  
  
Gabrielle pursed her lips. "She seemed sincere," she admitted, "and yet at the same time there was a certain darkness that she emitted."  
  
"Her on-air handle is 'The Viper,'" her partner added.  
  
Marik's lip curled. "Does she have red hair?" he demanded to know.  
  
"Yes, she does," Yugi said slowly.  
  
"Then she has to be the same one I knew," Marik growled, clenching his fists.  
  
Gabrielle moved in confidentially. "I know I won't be able to stop you kids from investigating this," she said, "but you all must be very careful." She paused. "Especially you, Bakura, since you will be working here."  
  
Bakura blinked. "Oh no, I'm not planning on working here," he said firmly. "Being a deejay was only a one-time assignment."  
  
Gabrielle shook her head, looking vaguely amused. "Somehow I don't think Von Wilkenson sees it that way," she remarked. "He told me he wants you as his permenant deejay for Mandy's time-slot."  
  
Bakura gasped. "Oh, I could never do that!" he cried. "I made such a dreadful mess of everything tonight. I doubt if the show in Mandy's time-slot has any listeners left!" He paused. "And I don't want to take her show away from her," he added softly.  
  
Gabrielle smiled, patting him on the shoulder. "I know you don't. You will have to speak with Von Wilkenson about that."  
  
"Is he still here?" Bakura asked worriedly.  
  
"Yes," Gabrielle replied, indicating his office. "He said he was going to catch up on some late-night work."  
  
Bakura headed for the door determinedly. "Then I must talk to him now!"  
  
The door opened and Vivalene strolled out, her emerald eyes dancing as they lighted on the innocent boy. "Go right in, darling," she smiled.  
  
"Thank you," Bakura said softly, blushing at being called "darling."  
  
Marik now planted himself in front of Vivalene, his lavender eyes full of outrage and anger. "It is you," he said darkly.  
  
Vivalene blinked at him, confused. "Well, I should certainly hope I am myself," she replied dryly.  
  
Marik glared at her, his gold earrings jangling faintly as he leaned forward to look her directly in the eyes. "Do not play games with me!" he cried. "I remember clearly what you did to me those many ages ago!"  
  
Vivalene patted his cheek. "You poor dear. Obviously you have me confused with someone else."  
  
"I am not the idiot you think I am!" Marik fumed.  
  
Vivalene walked around him and headed for the door. "Why, darling, how could I possibly make any judgements on what you are like when I've never seen you before?"  
  
"Come back here!!" Marik yelled angrily, but Vivalene paid him no heed.  
  
"Wow," Yugi said quietly, surprised at that encounter.  
  
Marik shook his head. "That was her," he said vehemently. "I know it was her. There is no way I could ever forget what she looked like or what her voice was like. She hasn't changed at all."  
  
"But why would she pretend she didn't know you?" Tristan asked, confused.  
  
"Because she does not want to own up to her past actions," Marik replied, crossing his arms in frustration.  
****  
Tea's eyes widened, horrified. "Following us?!" she cried.  
  
"That's right. We'll just have to try some crazy stunts to lose them." Seto began giving his chauffeur directions on what to do, and the man speeded the limo up around the nearest corner and then around another one.  
  
Tea watched as streets zipped by at increasing speeds. "We're going to get in an accident!!" she fretted.  
  
Seto regarded her expressionlessly. "No we aren't." He glanced back again. "They're still coming," he said in vexation.  
  
"This is bad," Tea heard the chauffeur mutter under his breath. Again he tried to turn the limo away, but the other car suddenly rear-ended them harshly.  
  
Both teens pitched forward, but Seto quickly shot out his injured arm to halt Tea's flight. Tea fell against it and Seto grunted in pain.  
  
Quickly the chauffeur took off before the other car could hit them again. "Is everything alright back there, sir?" he asked worriedly.  
  
Seto looked at Tea. "Are you alright?" he asked.  
  
Tea nodded shakily. "What about you?"  
  
Seto didn't answer her directly. "Everything's fine," he told the chauffeur, glancing back at their attackers again. He tried to get a good look at the license plate, but he discovered—much to his irritation—that it was covered in mud. Obviously those in the car weren't about to be discovered.  
  
"What do we do now?" Tea cried, just as a bullet flew past the window.  
  
"Duck," Seto replied, pushing Tea down and then leaning over himself.  
  
Another bullet broke right through the window, sending glass particles everywhere. Tea shrieked in surprised horror, feeling the glass hitting her back. Instinctively she quickly covered the back of her neck, her heart pounding.  
  
Seto had covered his own neck, annoyance and anger burning within him. It seemed that he spent most of his life eluding people who were trying to kill him and the others, he thought grimly, and prayed that Mokuba was still safe.  
****  
Bruce looked up at Bakura, his eyes flaming. "What did you say?!"  
  
Bakura swallowed hard, but stood firm. "Mr. Von Wilkenson, I cannot take Mandy's show away from her," he said steadily.  
  
"You're a good, decent boy," Bruce replied, nodding, "but Mandy's been giving me this kind of trouble for a long time now. I shouldn't have kept her around as long as I have."  
  
"Oh, but I'm sure the listeners enjoy her show," Bakura said earnestly. He shook his head. "Frankly, sir, I am not deejay material."  
  
"Nonsense!" Bruce said, standing up. "Frankie, the sound engineer, said you did very well for your first time ever on a radio show!"  
  
Bakura smiled weakly. "That was very kind of him, but the truth is I turned everything into quite a disaster. I'm afraid I probably scared away all the listeners for that time slot."  
  
"I doubt that!" Bruce said hotly, coming around to stand next to the silver-haired boy. "But look, kid, I'll tell you what—we'll wait until the overnight ratings come in tomorrow morning and then decide. Is that okay with you?"  
  
Bakura paused. "Well . . . I suppose," he said slowly. "But what about Mandy?"  
  
Bruce sighed. "Look, I'll let you in on a little secret—today Mandy got an offer from our biggest rivaling station, KYTL. I plan to let her pack up and move there."  
  
"Does she want to?" Bakura pressed.  
  
"You're a tough case," Bruce sighed again, then smiled. "But you're a great kid. You're honest and kind—always thinking of others. I like that. Tell you what—tomorrow you can talk things over with Mandy. How does that sound?"  
  
Bakura smiled. "Thank you, sir. That would make me feel a lot better."  
  
Bruce grinned. "Terrific. Be here bright and early tomorrow morning before school," he instructed, just as a horrid crash and a scream sounded down the halls.  
  
Bakura gasped. "Great Scott!! What was that??!!" he cried, feeling a sense of deja vu.  
  
They soon found out. A woman staggered in through Bruce's door, clutching her shoulder frantically. With a moan of pain, she fell to the floor! 


	6. Confrontation

Bakura was horrified. "What happened?!" he exclaimed, kneeling on the floor next to the mysterious woman.  
  
The woman groaned. "I . . . I was just in the storage room, looking for some old records. . . . And . . . someone was in there with me. . . ."  
  
"Who?" Bruce demanded, seeming to be more concerned about that than the fact that the woman was hurt. Bakura gave him an angry look before turning back to gently examine the woman's wound.  
  
"I . . . I don't know," the woman replied, grimacing as she let Bakura survey the extent of the damage. "They were in the shadows. . . . I couldn't see them very well. . . . They just stabbed me and ran out the back way!"  
  
"This is outrageous!!" Bruce screamed in frustration. "They were probably trying to steal some of the rare LP records!"  
  
Bakura couldn't control his outrage. "Mr. Von Wilkenson, this woman has been injured! Doesn't that mean anything to you?!"  
  
Bruce was heading for the door. "Of course it does!" he snapped. "It means she won't be able to work for a few days!"  
  
Bakura looked at him in disgust, then smiled reassuringly at the woman. "It's alright," he said softly. "This wound doesn't look too bad." Dealing with blood always made him feel dizzy and light-headed, but he did have an extensive knowledge of medicine and was always ready to help someone in need in spite of his uneasiness about blood. Gently he pressed a handkerchief over the wound as he continued to talk quietly to the woman, who was beginning to relax. "May I ask your name?" he queried now.  
  
"Sure," the woman replied amiably, smiling at him. "I'm Delores, an all-around gofer."  
  
Bakura blinked in confusion. "Come again?"  
  
The woman laughed. "I get that a lot. Basically what I do is 'go for' stuff that the deejays or anyone else wants."  
  
Bakura nodded, understanding now. "I see." He checked the wound. "Well, the bleeding has stopped," he announced, smiling at her again.  
  
"That's a relief," Delores said, shuddering. "When that person stabbed me, I just saw all this blood everywhere and . . ." She trailed off.  
  
"Oftentimes it looks worse than it really is," Bakura said comfortingly. "Can you stand? We should probably have that looked at by a doctor."  
  
Delores blinked. "Oh, I thought you were a doctor," she said as Bakura helped her to her feet.  
  
Bakura blushed deeply.  
  
[She likes you,] Yami Bakura observed from inside the Ring, and Bakura could just see him smirking.  
  
"I am not a professional," Bakura hurried to explain, trying to ignore the tomb raider's voice.  
  
"You're better than most of the doctors I've met," Delores replied.  
  
Bakura scratched his cheek, trying to think of how to change the subject. "I've heard that many strange things have been happening here," he said at last.  
  
"That's true," Delores sighed. "It all started about a month ago."  
  
Before she could elaborate, Joey came running down the hall, looking worried. "Hey! What the heck happened?!"  
  
"This young lady here was hurt," Bakura replied, blinking at Joey. "And where have you been?!" he demanded. "We were looking for you!"  
  
"Eh, I've been around," Joey said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Are you okay, miss?" he asked Delores.  
  
"I'm fine now," she replied, and Bakura turned pink again when she looked at him.  
  
"Where's Vivalene?" Joey worried now. "Is she okay?"  
  
"I believe she left," Bakura replied slowly.  
  
Delores blinked. "You know Vivalene?" she asked Joey pointedly.  
  
Joey grinned. "I sure do! She's the sweetest girl I've ever met!" he declared as they resumed walking.  
****  
A third bullet broke through the back window and exited through the windshield, shattering more glass. Tea still stayed in her bent-over position, shaking as she heard the whistle of the fourth bullet crash through the rear right side window. "Kaiba, are you hurt?" she cried, trying to look over at him.  
  
Before Seto could answer her, another bullet ripped through one of the tires, sending them spinning out of control. Tea let out a shriek, and the chauffer tried frantically to stop their wild flight, but the limo tore through a Road Closed sign and nearly pitched into a deep hole in the middle of the path. Just in time, the chauffeur swerved the automobile sharply to the right, where it came to rest against a tree.  
  
Tea sat shaking, feeling blood trickle down her wrist from a cut on the back of her hand, and then cautiously looked up. "Kaiba?" she said quaveringly, seeing the boy slumped against the inside of the door.  
  
"Is he hurt, miss?" the chauffeur asked worriedly, trying to turn around.  
  
Tea leaned over frantically and saw blood dripping from under the boy's long bangs. "I . . . I think he might've been shot!" she cried in utter horror, undoing her seatbelt and moving closer to him. "Kaiba, please say something!" she begged, feeling close to tears.  
  
To her immense relief, Seto stirred then and his blue eyes fluttered open. He blinked, trying to focus. "What happened?" he asked, and his voice sounded clear and distinct.  
  
"Oh Kaiba, you're hurt!" Tea exclaimed, trying to smooth his bangs back.  
  
Seto gently brushed her hand away and investigated the cut with his fingers. "I'm fine," he replied, feeling frustrated. "It's just a scratch." He remembered being cut by a piece of flying glass just before the limo had slammed into the tree.  
  
The chauffeur looked at him, nodding in relief. "Should I go replace the tire now, sir?" he asked.  
  
Seto nodded. "And do it quickly," he added.  
  
"I was afraid you'd been shot," Tea said to him when they were alone.  
  
Seto leaned back, looking exhausted. "I wasn't." He glanced at Tea's hand. "Apparently you've been injured yourself."  
  
Tea had forgotten about the cut on her hand amidst worrying about Seto. She blinked, staring at it now.  
  
Seto sighed and reached into his pocket. "Here," he said, handing her a handkerchief.  
  
"Don't you need it?" Tea asked hesitantly.  
  
Seto grunted. "I told you, I'm fine. Just take it." He looked back, apparently trying to see if that other car was still around, its occupants watching them.  
  
Tea nodded her thanks and accepted the cloth, pressing it against the injury. "Are they gone?" she asked nervously.  
  
"I don't see them," Seto replied, narrowing his eyes. "But that doesn't mean they aren't there."  
  
Tea shuddered. They had only barely started with this mystery, and already people were being hurt more times than she could count. What could JP have known that was so deadly?! She knew they had to find out—and fast, before anyone was hurt seriously . . . or worse.  
****  
In the meantime, Bakura and Joey brought Delores to the rest of the group, who gasped in astonished horror.  
  
"This is terrible!" Yugi cried after explanations had been made and Delores had again insisted that Bakura was the best doctor she could find. "If four or five people are being injured here every day, the station should be shut down!"  
  
"That's probably exactly why Bruce didn't report any of it," Marik said grimly.  
  
Bakura shook his head sadly. "I hate to speak harsh of anyone, but I'm afraid that really could be true."  
  
"Someone must really want to shut the station down," Tristan remarked now. "That must be why they're doing all this."  
  
"Well, we're not gonna let them!" Joey cried, slamming his fist into his palm. "We're gonna make sure that no one else gets hurt and that Vivalene keeps her job!"  
  
"Again with that Vivalene stuff?" Tristan sighed.  
  
"Hey, I don't wanna hear any more of your nutty comments about her!" Joey said defensively.  
  
Marik didn't back down. "That woman betrayed me once," he said firmly, crossing his arms. His gold jewelry clinked softly.  
  
Joey gave him an accusing look. "Man, everyone's against her!" he cried.  
  
"You hardly even know her," Marik objected.  
  
"And yet you're sticking up for her," Tristan added, narrowing his hazel eyes. "Is she more important to you than the friends you've known for years?!"  
  
"Hold on, Tristan," Bakura spoke up suddenly. "That's quite harsh."  
  
"Yeah!" Joey agreed. "What kinda question is that, anyway?!"  
  
Tristan crossed his arms. "Well, you're certainly not listening to us," he said.  
  
Joey glowered at them all, but especially at Tristan. "Man, don't you guys trust me to make any good decisions by myself?!" he cried.  
  
"It's not that, Joey," Yugi said now. "Of course we trust you! But . . . we just don't want you to get hurt," he finished finally.  
  
"Well, I ain't gonna get hurt," Joey snapped. "Vivalene wouldn't hurt a fly!"  
  
"She hurt me," Marik told him.  
  
Joey raised an eyebrow at him. "Wouldn't that have been during the time when you were being an all-around jerk?"  
  
Marik looked taken aback.  
  
Joey shook his head. "You probably deserved to get dumped by her," he said scathingly.  
  
"Now just a minute, Joey," Yugi tried to speak up, but the Brooklyn boy rushed right on.  
  
"You didn't deserve someone as sweet and kind as Vivalene," Joey said now.  
  
Marik clenched his fists. "I might agree with you, if she had truly been sweet and kind," he told him. "But she wasn't." The Egyptian boy turned away. "She is even worse than I was."  
  
Joey blinked. "If that's true, then there's no way that Vivalene could've been your girlfriend," he shot back. "Maybe you were datin' her twin sister or somethin'! After all, Bakura told me that Vivalene said she didn't even know you!"  
  
Marik shook his head. "I can see you are a lost cause. Vivalene definitely did remember me—she only wanted me to think she was not the same person. You will have to discover her treachery on your own. I only hope you do not find out too late." He walked off down the hall and out through the door.  
  
"Well, that was a cryptic statement," Delores commented, and all eyes turned to her. Amidst the confrontation between Joey and Marik, everyone had forgotten that the injured woman was still there.  
  
"I'm sorry you had to hear all that," Bakura apologized.  
  
"Oh no, it's quite alright," Delores replied, smiling at him.  
****  
Once they were back on the road again, Tea looked at Seto worriedly. "You are going to tell the police about this, aren't you?" she demanded.  
  
Seto grunted. "I suppose I'll have to." If he had been the only one involved, he wouldn't bother—but since Tea had been with him—and of course since he was frantic about his brother's safety—he would enlist all the extra help he could.  
  
"Kaiba," Tea scolded, hearing his annoyed-sounding tone. He could see that she was frustrated. "You're not all-powerful."  
  
Seto didn't answer that. Instead he crossed his arms in irritation.  
  
"Your problem," Tea said now in a much softer tone, "is that you're too independent for your own good."  
  
Seto turned to look at her, but still didn't answer. He had been betrayed and hurt so much in his life by those who should have been there for him, and finally he had just about given up on humanity completely. It was only recently that he had again begun to decide that not everyone was like that, but in spite of that he didn't think his independent attitude would ever change. He liked to take care of things himself. He always had.  
  
The chauffeur stopped the car. "Here's the police station, sir," he announced.  
  
Seto nodded in acknowledgement. "Let's get this over with," he grumbled.  
  
He and Tea reported everything they could about the incident to Gabrielle, who had returned to the station by now. She was very concerned about this turn of events and stressed that they should both be extremely careful.  
  
"I would tell you to stay out of police business, but I know by now that I would have better luck teaching a pig to fly," she said with a grim smile.  
  
Tea shook her head. "You've got that right," she said with a sigh, shooting a glance at Seto.  
****  
After Seto dropped Tea off at her house—almost two hours after they had originally tried to head there—he wondered if it was too late to try speaking with JP's sister. He glanced at the clock. It was nearly eleven at night. Of course, he had heard that this sister was a night owl. Perhaps she would still be awake.  
  
"Head for Summit Hills," he directed the chauffeur. It couldn't hurt to try. He was determined to solve this mystery as quickly as he could and get these latest criminals behind bars where they belonged.  
  
"Sir?" the chauffeur said doubtfully.  
  
"Don't question me," Seto told him. Disturbed thoughts swirled through his mind and he quickly withdrew his cell phone again. Anything could have happened in two hours. What if someone had hurt Mokuba in some way? He had to make sure his brother was alright.  
  
He dialed his home number and the phone began to ring. Was anyone going to answer? Seto wondered in frustration. The phone rang some more. What if . . . what if no one was able to answer it? 


	7. Memories Can Kill

To Seto's immense relief, the phone was then answered by a sleepy-sounding Mokuba, who immediately perked up when he heard his brother's voice.  
  
"Big brother, where are you?" the little boy cried. "I thought you'd be back ages ago!"  
  
"Yeah, I thought so too," Seto said softly.  
  
"You got hurt, didn't you, Seto?" Mokuba quavered.  
  
Seto reached up to touch the wound on his forehead. "I'm alright, kid," he assured the younger boy.  
  
"You must be hurt, Seto," Mokuba wailed. "Why else wouldn't you be back yet?"  
  
Seto paused. How would he get out of this one? He didn't want to scare his brother by telling him what had happened. At last he said, "I'm really okay, Mokuba. But I won't be able to get back for a little while yet."  
  
"Why not, Seto?" Mokuba cried worriedly. "Are you at the hospital?!"  
  
"No, kid," Seto replied with a gentle smile that Mokuba could sense over the phone. "I just have to talk to someone."  
  
"At eleven o'clock at night?" Mokuba exclaimed in disbelief.  
  
Seto chuckled. "Afraid so. But don't worry—I promise I'll be home as soon as I can. I love you, Mokuba."  
  
"I love you, too, Seto," Mokuba said softly, and then they both hung up.  
  
"We're approaching Summit Hills, sir," the chauffeur announced.  
  
"Good." Seto nodded in acknowledgment.  
  
****  
  
Joey was still fuming about the other teens' comments thirty minutes later, after they had helped Delores find her friend to take her home. He turned to go.  
  
"Where are you going, Joey?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Man, for your information, I'm going to walk Vivalene home now," the Brooklyn boy declared coolly, heading off down the hall. "She wants a tough, strong guy to protect her from the ninjas, and I'm just such a guy!"  
  
Yugi looked at him worriedly. "Be careful, Joey," he pleaded.  
  
"Yeah," Tristan agreed. "Marik probably knew what he was talking about."  
  
Joey glared daggers at the other boy. "Will you all just quit bashin' Vivalene?! Maybe you're all just jealous 'cause she likes me instead of any of you!"  
  
"That's ridiculous, Joey," Bakura cried, but the blonde boy was already walking away.  
  
"Man, I'm going after him!" Tristan growled, but Yugi jumped in front of him.  
  
"No, Tristan," he said firmly. "Joey isn't going to listen to us. Marik is right—Joey will have to learn about Vivalene the hard way," he stated sadly.  
  
"But I'm sure we all feel the same," Tristan protested. "There's somethin' dark and sinister about her!"  
  
"I know," Yugi said, nodding. "But there's not much we can do, Tristan. We can't control Joey's life for him, not even to protect him."  
  
****  
  
"Hello, darling," Vivalene smiled as Joey approached. "I'm so happy to see you!"  
  
Joey grinned. "Are you ready to go, Vifa?" he asked, extending his arm for her to take. She had requested earlier that he call her by her nickname, and he was only too happy to oblige.  
  
They walked out into the crisp winter air. "I've never met anyone quite like you, Joey," Vivalene purred. "I hope I'll be seeing a lot more of you."  
  
"You sure will," Joey grinned again. How could his friends ever think that Vivalene was someone to steer clear of?! She was the sweetest girl he had ever met!  
  
"Do you like my show, darling?" Vivalene asked now.  
  
Joey blushed. He actually hadn't ever listened to the morning show, but he knew he always would from now on. "Eh, sure I do," he lied. "I never listen to any other radio show but yours!"  
  
Vivalene smiled. "I'm flattered," she said softly. "You aren't like anyone I've ever met before, Joey. And that's a good thing. A very good thing." She ran her finger down his cheek, and Joey blushed. He had never been happier!  
  
****  
  
Marik walked down the dark streets, heading for the museum to find Ishizu. He couldn't believe Joey's foolishness in this whole Vivalene matter. Of course, he himself had been foolish concerning her, but he hadn't had anyone to warn him about her deadliness. Ishizu had never known about her, or she certainly would have.  
  
Vivalene had approached him way back in Egypt when he was just first organizing the Rare Hunters and had proved herself capable and eager to join them. She had quickly become one of the top members, using her charms and wiles to secure the rare cards.  
  
Marik slowly had found himself falling for her over the ensuing months, and Vivalene had seemed attracted to him as well—but of course it was just an act, as he found out not long after that.  
  
He had entrusted her to head a secret mission with some of his other top Rare Hunters, but later that night Vivalene came to him with a tale of how they had been attacked by a group rivaling the Rare Hunters in their notoriety and greediness. They had killed almost all of the other Rare Hunters and stolen all of their decks. Vivalene had been the only one to escape, she had said.  
  
Marik had actually believed her at first, but then a blood-stained card belonging to one of the dead Rare Hunters had fallen out of Vivalene's purse and Marik realized he had been duped. Vivalene had strung him along all that time. She couldn't be trusted as he had thought.  
  
Vivalene quickly realized that he had seen the card and then suddenly turned on him, her smile deadly and vicious. "It's been fun, darling," she had purred, "but all good things must come to an end." Then she had pulled out a revolver, shooting Marik in the chest before he—or even his Yami—had been able to do a thing about it. He had nearly died at Vivalene's hands that night.  
  
Ishizu and Rishid had found him lying in a pool of blood shortly afterward and had rushed him to the hospital, where he had lain in a coma for several days. When he had finally regained consciousness, he remembered nothing of what had occurred that fateful night—and of course Vivalene had vanished as well. For a reason unknown to him, he had decided to mind-control most of his future Rare Hunters to prevent such things from happening again. Now he remembered exactly what had made him come to that decision.  
  
He touched the bullet scar under his shirt. When he had heard Vivalene's name tonight, everything had come back. The audacity of that witch—to pretend that she didn't even know Marik, when she had pretended to love him before and then had nearly murdered him! Somehow he knew he had to stop her before anyone else got hurt or died.  
  
He wondered what on earth Vivalene wanted with Joey. That boy certainly didn't have any wealth or power as he, Marik, did—so it must be something else she wanted from him. But what?  
  
****  
  
When Seto got out of the limo in front of JP's sister's house, he found that the lights were still on and he nodded in satisfaction.  
  
Purposefully he strode up to the door and rang the bell. Soon it was opened by a maid, and she led Seto into the front parlor. "I'll go find Miss Palmer," she said, excusing herself.  
  
Seto glanced around the room, his thoughts wandering. Before long an attractive woman in her early twenties appeared at the top of the stairs.  
  
"Miss Palmer?" Seto asked.  
  
"That's me," the woman replied in a world-weary tone. "But call me Lila." She descended to the bottom and stood in front of her guest. "And of course you need no introduction, Seto Kaiba," she remarked. The boy was quite famous in Domino City and the surrounding area. "But why are you visiting me?"  
  
Seto nodded curtly. "I'll get right to the point. My company owns the station your brother worked at, and I'm investigating his disappearance."  
  
Lila sighed. "I've already spoken with the police, Mr. Kaiba," she said.  
  
"Well, I don't work with the police," Seto replied, "so maybe you can answer a few questions for me as well."  
  
Lila shrugged. "What the heck, sure. What do you want to know?"  
  
Seto looked at her seriously. "What is your brother like?"  
  
"Oh, he's pretty care-free and fun-loving," Lila told him. "He made lots of friends, but sometimes he fell in with the wrong crowd." She leaned back on the railing. "JP could never say no to anyone. If they wanted a favor done, he was always ready to help them."  
  
Seto nodded slowly. "What do you mean when you say he fell in with the wrong crowd?" he asked pointedly.  
  
Lila fingered a rubber plant. "Oh . . . con men . . . criminals. . . . JP wasn't a crook, you understand," she added hurriedly. "But sometimes he just got mixed up with them by accident."  
  
"I understand," Seto said emotionlessly. "But did he ever . . . learn things he maybe shouldn't have?" he finished.  
  
Lila blinked. "I wouldn't be surprised. But he and I aren't real close. If he found out stuff like that, I doubt he would've told me. Heck, I doubt he would've known what to do with it all. He might not have realized the seriousness of it . . . depending on what it was, of course. But then we don't know if he even knew anything."  
  
"Given the circumstances, it seems likely," Seto replied. "Unless he could've had enemies for another reason."  
  
Lila shrugged. "Darin' Dave, maybe," she said slowly.  
  
Seto blinked. "Who?"  
  
"A fill-in deejay at KETY," Lila told him. "He wanted JP's slot, but Von Wilkenson just made him a very replaceable fill-in guy instead. I know he was pretty bitter about it for a while. He might still be, too."  
  
Seto nodded thoughtfully. This was interesting news indeed.  
  
****  
  
Velma came to the door of the sitting room and looked in at Mokuba, who was curled up on the couch and trying not to fall asleep. "I'd better get you up to bed, honey," she told him gently. "It's gettin' awfully late!"  
  
Mokuba shook his head, bleary-eyed. "I have to stay awake until Seto comes back!" he insisted. "I want to see my brother!"  
  
Velma patted his shoulder. "I know you do, but he wouldn't want you to be stayin' up real late like this."  
  
Mokuba sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Please, Velma, just a little longer!" he begged.  
  
Velma sighed. "Well . . . alright," she agreed. "But only for a little bit longer," she said, waving a finger at him.  
  
Mokuba nodded, just as the phone rang again. "Maybe that's Seto," he said hopefully.  
  
Velma picked up the phone. "Hullo, Mr. Kaiba's place," she answered, then went pale. Mokuba stared at her, wide-eyed.  
  
"What is it, Velma?!" he cried. "Is my brother hurt??!"  
  
Velma didn't even seem to remember he was there. "Who is this?!" she screamed, but a loud and final click met her ears. She stood staring at the phone, shaking.  
  
"Oh, Velma, what was it?!" Mokuba wailed.  
  
Velma shook her head. "Wrong number," she said weakly, replacing the phone in its cradle.  
  
"Velma, you gotta tell me!" Mokuba pleaded.  
  
Velma still didn't answer. The caller had said that they had a message for Seto Kaiba and then had breathed a dire, graphic threat to the poor maid on exactly what they would do to him if he didn't stay out of other people's business. There was no way she could tell Mokuba what they had said. It would give her nightmares for many a night to come.  
  
****  
  
Marik reached the Domino Museum and climbed the many steps to the top. Ishizu might not still be there this late, he knew. She might have returned to the home they shared . . . and yet the door was still unlocked, Marik noted with surprise. Slowly he pushed the door open and went inside. "Hello? Sister?" he called, his voice echoing off the dark, lonely walls. There didn't seem to be anyone around, but Ishizu would never leave for home and leave the door unlocked. "Sister, are you here?" Perhaps she was in the Egyptian exhibit in the back, he decided, heading for the stairs. A cold sense of foreboding enveloped him and he paused, his lavender eyes narrowed. What if Ishizu was hurt?  
  
"Sister, are you alright?" he screamed, reaching to click on the light.  
  
A rough hand grabbed his wrist, pressing his arm band harshly into his skin. "Your sister is fine," a dark voice growled, "but you won't be."  
  
Marik struggled to pull free, but it was useless. "Who are you?! And how did you get in?!"  
  
Suddenly there were many dark forms circling around him. He could just make out their shapes in the pale light from the moon outside. "We came in through the door, of course," one of them hissed.  
  
"What do you want with me?!" Marik demanded, again trying to pull free.  
  
A hand grabbed him by the throat and started lifting him into the air. The poor boy gasped, feeling his breath being cut off. "We want you dead," another voice growled, dropping him harshly to the floor.  
  
"What have I done?!" Marik cried, his voice rasping. "I do not even know you!"  
  
"We have a . . . mutual acquaintance," a third said smoothly, suddenly beating Marik viciously with what felt like a ninja weapon. "You needed to learn to keep your mouth shut. But now it's too late for that."  
  
Marik screamed as the weapon tore through his flesh, and he struggled to stand up. Instantly he was roughly pushed back down and one of the men stepped deliberately on his chest, causing him to cry out again. He grabbed for the man's leg to throw him off, but then a barbed whip cut across his forehead and he fell back, dazed. "Vivalene hired you to kill me, didn't she?" he gasped, his vision swimming.  
  
The men didn't answer as they continued to pound the hapless boy's body mercilessly. Marik lay sprawling on his stomach, screaming in agony at every vicious strike and hit. "Help me," he prayed softly, just as his weak body was kicked violently down the long flight of stairs. He crashed at the bottom, hitting his head on the hard floor.  
  
"This time, Marik Ishtar, you *will* die," he heard a sultry voice hiss just before he passed into the darkness. 


	8. Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

Seto climbed out of his limo, feeling completely exhausted. By now it was well after midnight and all he wanted to do was sleep. He hadn't really learned anything much from talking to JP's sister, only that her brother often accidentally wound up with the wrong kind of people. Tomorrow he would have to try talking to some of JP's friends and the other deejays.  
  
He opened the door bleary-eyed and instantly Mokuba leaped into his arms in delight. "Seto!!" he exclaimed happily. "Oh big brother, I'm so glad you're home!"  
  
Seto held the younger boy close, relieved that he was alright. "I'm glad to be back, kid," he said softly, and then he noticed Velma standing in the doorway to the sitting room looking shaken. "What's wrong?" he asked her sternly.  
  
Velma shook her head, not wanting to say anything as long as Mokuba was still there. "Nothin', sir," she tried to assure him. "It's just been a long day."  
  
Seto wasn't fooled. "Hey kid," he said to Mokuba affectionately, "it's way past your bedtime. How about I take you up to bed?"  
  
Mokuba nodded slowly. He was quite exhausted himself, and now that Seto was back he felt that he could finally go to sleep. "Okay, big brother," he agreed, snuggling close.  
  
Seto smiled at him and carried him up the stairs to his room. After he had tucked Mokuba into bed and waited until he had fallen asleep, Seto went back downstairs to speak with Velma. "Now. . . . What happened while I was gone?" he demanded.  
  
Velma twisted the dust mop in her hands nervously. "Well, sir . . . see, I got this awful phone call. . . ." She shuddered, her eyes filling with tears. "Oh, Mr. Kaiba, I'm so glad it was me who answered instead of that poor boy. . . ."  
  
Seto moved closer, staring sternly into his maid's eyes. "What was said? Tell me."  
  
Velma continued to twist the mop. "They . . . they were threatenin' you somethin' awful, sir!" she cried, trying to speak low enough so that Mokuba wouldn't awaken and hear. "Oh, they said such terrible things. . . ."  
  
Seto wasn't surprised, but he was frustrated. "What did the voice sound like?" he asked now.  
  
Velma blinked. "I don't know, sir. . . . I think they were using one of those things to disguise it. . . ."  
  
Seto sighed in irritation. It figured.  
  
****  
  
Ishizu stood up, feeling an extreme sense of unease.  
  
"You have felt it too?" Rishid asked. Marik should have been home before now, he thought to himself.  
  
Ishizu headed for the door of the Ishtar home. "Yes," she said softly. "I sense something is amiss with Marik."  
  
Rishid followed her, his eyes narrowed in concern. "We must go then," he said gravely.  
  
Before long they had arrived at the museum. "Marik might have come here," Ishizu remarked, looking gravely at the open door.  
  
"It is late," Rishid said grimly, going inside and turning on the lights. "Master? Are you here?" he called.  
  
Ishizu followed after him and walked forward. "Oh!" she cried suddenly, seeing dark red blood-stains on the floor.  
  
"This is not good," Rishid said, looking around. "Master?" he called again, spotting the open door to the basement. Quickly he descended the stairs and found Marik's lifeless body at the bottom. "Brother!" he cried in utter horror.  
  
Ishizu appeared at the top of the stairs, her blue eyes shining worriedly. "Rishid, what has happened to him?!" she exclaimed. Usually the Egyptian woman managed to appear calm and collected, but when one of her brothers was badly hurt she couldn't hide her true feelings.  
  
Rishid gathered the boy's body into his arms, searching frantically for any signs of life. "He has been deliberately attacked," the man said grimly. "It might be best if you do not come down." This was too much like deja vu. Neither Rishid or Ishizu could forget how Marik had been shot down back in Egypt under mysterious circumstances. And now he had been hurt again—under circumstances that were just as mysterious.  
  
Ishizu didn't listen to Rishid's warning. Quickly she descended the stairs as well and knelt next to them. "Marik!" she cried, touching his bloody arm gently. "Marik, it is your sister," she said softly, her voice cracking. "I am here with you. Can you hear me?" She surveyed his battered body, horror evident in her eyes. "He was stabbed!" she exclaimed in alarm, seeing a glint of metal and pulling a knife out of the boy's flesh.  
  
Rishid had hoped to remove the knife before Ishizu found it. The poor woman was completely shaken, just the way Rishid himself felt.  
  
"Oh Marik. . . ." Ishizu bent over her brother, tears glistening in her eyes. She looked up at Rishid, an unspoken question on her lips.  
  
The man stood up gravely, Marik's lifeless body in his arms. "He is still alive, but only barely," he told her. "He needs immediate medical care."  
  
Marik's head fell back, sending his long blonde hair flying messily in all directions. His normally tanned skin was now a deathly pale color and blood was everywhere. He looked very close to death.  
  
Ishizu tried to get her emotions under control. "We do not have time to wait for an ambulance, do we?" she spoke quietly.  
  
Rishid shook his head. "He is too far gone. We must take him to the hospital ourselves."  
  
Ishizu knew that was true. "Come then," she directed, hurrying to the door. "There is no time to lose."  
  
Quickly they went back upstairs and outside to Ishizu's car. "I had best drive," Rishid said quietly, seeing that Ishizu was in no condition to do so. Frankly, he wasn't sure how he was managing to stay so calm. He felt as if his world was collapsing around him. His blood boiled at the sight of their brother's brutally attacked body. Someone had purposely done this abomination. But who?!  
  
Ishizu nodded shakily and climbed into the passenger side. Rishid gently laid Marik's body across her lap before going around to the driver's side and also getting in. The Egyptian woman held him close, pressing a scarf against the worst of his wounds to stop the bleeding. "Please, dear brother," she whispered. "You must survive!"  
  
****  
  
Seto was startled out of a light sleep by a small hand touching his shoulder. "Seto?" he heard Mokuba's quavering voice say.  
  
The older boy stirred, forcing his deep blue eyes open. "Hey kid," he said in confusion, "what's wrong?" He rolled over and raised himself up to look at the younger boy, who had climbed onto the bed and was looking immensely close to tears.  
  
Mokuba collapsed into the older boy's arms, sobbing now. "Oh Seto. . . . I . . . I was having this horrible nightmare!"  
  
Seto held his brother tenderly. "Can you tell me about it?" he asked softly.  
  
Mokuba looked up at him, tears chasing each other down his face. "You . . . you were just laying there, big brother," he wailed. "I . . . I couldn't wake you up! . . . You . . . you were . . ." He couldn't finish, again burying his face in Seto's chest.  
  
"It's alright, kid," Seto whispered. "I'm never going to leave you." He laid his head against Mokuba's. "That's a promise."  
  
Mokuba continued to cling to his beloved brother, his little shoulders shaking with sobs. "Seto, can I stay here with you tonight?" he begged.  
  
Seto laid back into the pillows, Mokuba still in his arms. "Of course you can, kid," he assured him, pulling the quilt up around them both. He kissed the little boy softly on the forehead.  
  
Mokuba sighed happily, snuggling close. Seto gently tousled his brother's hair, praying that he would be able to keep his promise.  
  
****  
  
Joey woke up bright and early the next morning to the radio blaring loudly with an old song from the '80's. He grumbled, preparing to turn it off and drift off to sleep again, but then he paused when the deejay's voice came on.  
  
"Hello, darlings," Vivalene's voice purred. "This is Viper Vifa here to take you through another morning with all the marvelous songs you remember from the decade you can never forget—the 1980's!"  
  
Joey grinned and perked up. It was going to be a great day, as long as Vivalene was in every minute of it.  
  
The phone rang abruptly and Joey looked at it in irritation. Why did it have to ring during Vivalene's show? "Hello," he said distractedly into the receiver. "Make it snappy!"  
  
"Joey," Yugi's voice came through the telephone then, "Marik's in the hospital!"  
  
Joey blinked. "Whaddya mean, Yug?!" he demanded. "Did he fall down and sprain his arm or somethin'?"  
  
"I wish it was that simple," Yugi replied gravely. "Joey, he's almost dead!"  
  
Joey couldn't believe what he was hearing. "No way," he gasped. "He was fine just last night! What the heck happened to him?!"  
  
"Someone beat him," Yugi said sadly. "Apparently they cornered him in the museum after he left the radio station last night and just attacked him violently!"  
  
Joey was floored. "Man, who would do that to him?!" he cried in disbelief. "And why?!"  
  
"I don't know," Yugi said after a pause. ~Yami, do you think Vivalene was responsible?~ he asked the spirit worriedly.  
  
**I'm afraid it's a strong possibility, Yugi,** Yami Yugi replied grimly. **I am certain she didn't appreciate what Marik was telling us last night. I don't doubt that she would want to silence him permanently.**  
  
Yugi shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe anyone could actually be so diabolically evil.  
  
"Hey, Yug? Are you still there?!" Joey demanded.  
  
Yugi blinked, startled out of his mental conversation. "Yeah, I'm still here, Joey," he assured his friend.  
  
"Man, I hope the guy's gonna be alright," Joey said softly, shaking his head sadly.  
  
"I do too, Joey," Yugi agreed, his violet eyes worried and sad. "I do too."  
  
****  
  
When Seto awoke the next morning, Mokuba was still curled up next to him, breathing peacefully. Seto just watched the younger boy for a while, not wanting to disturb him. They had come through so much together. . . .  
  
It was going to be another busy day today, he knew. He had to work hard to find out what had happened to JP—and to the money that had disappeared from his company's accounts. Obviously this mystery was very serious, what with everything that had happened last night.  
  
The phone jangled sharply and Seto quickly reached over and answered before the ringing could awaken his brother. "Kaiba," he said coldly.  
  
"You just don't know how to stay out of other people's business, do you?" an equally cold voice shot back.  
  
Seto's eyes narrowed. "I assume you're referring to the disappearing deejay case."  
  
"That's right." The voice paused. "Marik Ishtar has already been killed, and you're gonna be next if you don't stop poking your nose where it doesn't belong!" With a sharp click, the caller hung up.  
  
Seto stared at the phone in disbelief. "Marik Ishtar is dead?" he muttered low. That was something he definitely hadn't been expecting.  
  
Mokuba stirred then and awoke, looking up at the older boy with his innocent gray eyes. "Hi, big brother!" he said sleepily, grinning.  
  
Seto looked back down at him and smiled warmly. "Hey kid," he said softly.  
  
"Is everything okay, Seto?" Mokuba asked worriedly. "I . . . I thought I heard the phone ringing, and you answering and sounding upset. . . ."  
  
Seto wasn't sure what to say. He certainly didn't want to introduce Mokuba to a death first thing in the morning—especially not the death of his best friend—so he tried to change the subject. "Why don't we go downstairs and get some breakfast?" he suggested, ruffling Mokuba's hair.  
  
"Okay, Seto," Mokuba said agreeably, but he still looked worried. "But you didn't tell me if everything is really alright," he said as they got out of the bed and went to the door. "Seto, I heard you saying that Marik is dead!" he suddenly cried in horror.  
  
Seto paused again. So Mokuba had heard him. "Someone told me that he is," he said carefully. "But I don't know if it's really true."  
  
"It can't be true!" Mokuba sobbed. "It can't be!!"  
  
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Velma was there to greet them. "Mr. Kaiba, sir, someone slipped this into the mailbox," she said, handing him a sealed envelope.  
  
Seto took it from her, his eyes narrowed. It looked so mysterious. . . .  
  
"What is it?" Mokuba asked, trying to see.  
  
Seto tore it open and a single sheet of paper fell out.  
  
Mr. Kaiba—  
  
Come to my house at noontime.  
  
I have something to show you  
  
pertaining to my brother's disappearance.  
  
—Lila  
  
"Is it more bad news, Seto?" Mokuba wondered worriedly.  
  
Seto shook his head. "I don't know, kid," he said truthfully. "I honestly don't know."  
  
****  
  
Ishizu sat in the chair by her brother's side, holding his hand gently and brushing his long blonde bangs out of his closed eyes. "Marik," she said softly, "you must fight, dear brother. You are strong. I know you can make it!"  
  
She and Rishid had brought Marik to the hospital ages ago now, and the poor boy hadn't awakened at all. The doctor had told them that Marik was barely alive and that it would be touch-and-go unless he could completely revive.  
  
The door opened slowly and Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Tea, and Bakura all came in. "We're so sorry about Marik," Yugi said softly. "We're all praying that he'll get better."  
  
Ishizu nodded slowly in acknowledgment. "Thank you," she said quietly. "I know my brother will not give up without a fight." She paused, worry flitting across her face.  
  
"What is it?" Yugi asked in concern. When he glanced at Rishid, who was standing at Marik's other side, he saw that the man had that same worried expression.  
  
"This is not the first time my master was nearly killed," Rishid said gravely, and explained about when they had found Marik mysteriously shot in the chest back in Egypt. The teens were horrified.  
  
Now Marik stirred slightly, seeming to become agitated in his unconsciousness.  
  
"Marik?" Ishizu stood up, leaning over him worriedly and at the same time hopefully. This was the first time he had moved at all since she and Rishid had found him. "I am here, dear brother," she said softly. "What is wrong?"  
  
"Vivalene," Marik rasped, his voice barely discernible. "It . . . it was Vivalene."  
  
Joey stared at the other boy in disbelief. "What's he mean?!"  
  
Rishid came over to the bed now as well. "Brother?" he asked worriedly. "What is this about Vivalene?"  
  
Marik paused, breathing heavily. It was obvious that he still wasn't fully conscious. "She . . . she stabbed me," he managed to choke out before going completely under again. 


	9. Meeting

The others stared at the unconscious boy in shock and, in Joey's case, disbelief.  
  
"Who is this Vivalene?" Ishizu demanded, looking up at them.  
  
"Why don't you ask Joey?" Tristan said bitterly. "He's in love with her."  
  
Joey glared. "Hey, the Vivalene I know would never try to kill anyone!" he said defensively.  
  
"Appearances can be deceiving," Ishizu replied grimly. "I must meet this Vivalene for myself. Where is she?"  
  
"She works at the KETY radio station," Yugi told her.  
  
Joey was fuming. "Look, I know Vivalene must have an evil twin sister or something," he declared fiercely, "and I'm gonna find out all about her! I havta clear my girl's name!"  
  
"Oh, give it up, Joey," Tristan said in frustration. "Vivalene is the woman from Hades! We can all see it—why can't you?!"  
  
"Because it's not true!!!" Joey screamed, storming out the door. "And I'm gonna prove it to everyone!!"  
  
Rishid laid a hand on Ishizu's shoulder. "You must find this Vivalene," he agreed. "If she is the one who tried to kill our brother, she must be brought to justice."  
  
Ishizu nodded, leaning over to kiss Marik on the cheek. "You will stay with him until I return?" she demanded pointedly of Rishid, who nodded solemnly.  
  
"I will not leave his side," he assured her.  
  
Ishizu headed for the door. "Come," she requested of the remaining teens.  
  
****  
  
Joey, meanwhile, had gone to the library and found Mokuba there with one of his mystery books, looking upset. "Hey," the blonde boy asked conspiratorially, "do they have computers here?"  
  
Mokuba set the book down. "Joey, how's Marik doing?!" he demanded without answering the question. Seto had sent him to the library hoping that it would give him something else to concentrate on, but he couldn't manage it.  
  
"Marik?" Joey repeated, scratching his head. "Well . . . I heard he was in the hospital. . . ."  
  
"But he's still alive then?" Mokuba asked urgently.  
  
"As far as I know," Joey said slowly, remembering how close the two boys were.  
  
Mokuba smiled in relief at that, but then wanted to know what had happened. Joey had to admit that he didn't know.  
  
"I'm sorry, kid," the Brooklyn boy said now. "But hey, I'm sure he'll be alright." He turned to leave. "Now I've got some research to do," he declared. "I've gotta prove to the others that Vivalene isn't the witch they all seem to think she is!" He decided not to mention that Marik had said that Vivalene had stabbed him.  
  
Mokuba turned to go. "Good luck," he said dryly. "I've gotta go see Marik!!"  
  
****  
  
Ishizu entered the radio station, the other teens following closely. They weren't surprised to see that Seto was already there.  
  
"Kaiba, are you alright?" Tea asked worriedly, going over to him. So much had happened to him last night, she thought to herself with a shake of her head.  
  
Seto sighed. "I'm fine," he replied, glancing at Ishizu. "How's your brother?" he asked her. "I heard some disturbing news about him this morning." In case Marik really wasn't dead, he didn't want to upset the woman by reporting exactly what he'd been told.  
  
Ishizu nodded solemnly. "He has been gravely wounded. I am looking for someone who may have initiated the attack on his life. Do you know of someone named Vivalene?"  
  
Seto's eyes narrowed. He was certain he remembered her from somewhere, but he still couldn't place where. "I saw her down that hall," he said emotionlessly, pointing to a nearby corridor.  
  
"Then I must confront her," Ishizu said softly, heading off. The teens, knowing that she most likely wanted to speak with Vivalene in private, lingered behind.  
  
"So now what?" Tristan wondered.  
  
Seto grunted. "Do as you wish. I have matters of my own to attend to." He turned to head off down another hallway.  
  
"Perhaps we should all work together," Bakura suggested, knowing that he needed to meet with Bruce but dreading it.  
  
"I work alone," Seto replied, not bothering to turn around as he disappeared around another corner.  
  
Tea looked frustrated. "Why is he always that way?!" she cried.  
  
Tristan shook his head. "Because if he wasn't, he wouldn't be Seto Kaiba," he proclaimed.  
  
At that moment Bruce came down the hall. "Bakura!" he called, grabbing the boy by the arm. "I've been looking for you everywhere! Come right into my office!"  
  
Bakura sighed. He was definitely not looking forward to this.  
  
****  
  
Bruce hauled Bakura into his office, grinning broadly. "Well, boy, your show got the best ratings last night!" he announced. "That show never got those kind of ratings when Mandy hosted it!"  
  
Bakura looked at him worriedly. "But remember, sir, I have no wish to take Mandy's show away from her," he said firmly. For that matter, he really had no wish to be a deejay at all.  
  
"Yes, I remember," Bruce assured him. "Most people would just jump at the chance to take this show, but not you, Bakura! You have to speak with the other deejay first!"  
  
Bakura looked rather embarrassed. "Well, of course," he said. "Otherwise I just wouldn't feel right."  
  
The door opened and Mandy came in. "You wanted to see me, sir?" she asked in her usual, bubbly voice.  
  
"That's right, Miss Granger," Bruce nodded. "Please be seated."  
  
Mandy sat down next to Bakura. "Hi!" she chirped. "You know Seto Kaiba, right?" She was certain she remembered the silver-haired boy from yesterday.  
  
"Um, well . . . yes," Bakura admitted, caught off guard.  
  
"Enough of that nonsense!" Bruce roared. "Miss Granger, the truth of the matter is you've been asked for by our rivaling station, and I'm thinking of letting you go so you can accept the position. I've found a better deejay."  
  
"The rival station?" Mandy cried, ignoring the rest of what Bruce had said. "Oh, sir, I just couldn't accept! I just couldn't!!"  
  
"And why not?!" Bruce demanded.  
  
"Why, it'd just be completely turnin' my back on Seto Kaiba!" Mandy said, wide-eyed.  
  
"WHAT?!" Bruce screamed. "What kind of nonsense is this?!"  
  
"Well, sir, Mr. Kaiba owns this station," Mandy explained, "and he doesn't own that other one!" She crossed her arms stubbornly. "I don't want to leave!"  
  
"NONSENSE!! You'll take the job!" Bruce was turning purple.  
  
"But who would do my show?" Mandy exclaimed, her eyes wide.  
  
"This boy here!" Bruce clapped a hand on Bakura's shoulder.  
  
Mandy stared at the boy in disbelief. "You're going to take my show away?" she cried.  
  
Bakura stood up and shook his head firmly. "No, I am not. Mr. Von Wilkenson, I told you I would only accept the job if Miss Granger agreed, but she does not, so I cannot accept." With that, he turned and walked out the door.  
  
****  
  
Ishizu found Vivalene touching up her lipstick in a staff room.  
  
"How did you get in here?" Vivalene demanded. "I don't remember seeing you on the staff."  
  
"I am not." Ishizu came closer. "How I got in does not matter. What does matter is whether you are Vivalene."  
  
Vivalene nodded. "I am," she said guardedly. "But who are you?"  
  
Ishizu stood tall and firm. "I am Ishizu Ishtar," she announced.  
  
Vivalene visibly started, but she quickly regained her composure. "Do I know you?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"No, you don't." Ishizu crossed her arms. "But I have reason to believe you know my brother Marik."  
  
"I can't imagine where I would know him from," Vivalene said flippantly. "What kind of man is he—so shy that he has to send his sister to find out if I will go out with him?" She tossed her head. "You can tell him the answer is no."  
  
Ishizu couldn't control her anger at that remark. "How dare you! My brother is dying in the hospital because of you!" she burst out, her blue eyes aflame with fury.  
  
Vivalene stood up. "What are you saying, Ms. Ishtar? That I tried to kill your brother?! I am absolutely appalled that you would make such a claim!"  
  
"My brother whispered your name," Ishizu said fiercely. "He said you stabbed him!"  
  
"That is truly outrageous!" Vivalene fumed. "I wouldn't kill anyone! And I don't even know your brother! I have no idea why he would whisper my name." She put her lipstick back into her purse.  
  
Ishizu fixed her with a steely gaze. "I do not believe you. I believe my brother."  
  
Vivalene was angry. "Your brother is dying—you said so yourself. How could you expect him to say anything that would make sense? There's no way you could prove I did anything to him, simply because I didn't." She pointed to the door. "And I think you should leave now, before I call the police and charge you with slandering my good name!"  
  
Ishizu stepped back. "Very well," she said low. "But if you truly are guilty of this abomination, I will find out. And then justice will be done."  
  
****  
  
Joey sighed loudly in frustration, causing everyone nearby to shush him angrily.  
  
Mai, who had found him there, sighed as well. "I guess you're not having any luck."  
  
"Man, none at all!" Joey cried, messing his hair up. "I can't find out anything about Vivalene's family! And I just havta prove that she's not guilty!"  
  
Mai sighed again. "Have you tried this website?" she asked, pointing on the screen.  
  
Joey leaned in for a better look. "Is it any good?"  
  
"It should be," Mai replied. "I've heard it's supposed to be the best. But I think this is ridiculous, Joey." She had already talked to Yugi and knew that Vivalene wasn't everything Joey thought she was. Now she just hoped that if Joey didn't find anything, maybe he would start to realize the truth. She doubted it, however.  
  
Joey growled. "Man, not you too, Mai," he said in frustration, clicking on the website's name.  
  
****  
  
Seto Kaiba drove up to Lila's home again, thoughts swirling through his mind. What had the woman found? Was it something new, or just something she hadn't told him last night? And why all the secrecy? Couldn't Lila have just telephoned? Why had she instead made someone slip the note into the mailbox?  
  
"We're here, sir," the chauffeur announced, breaking into Seto's thoughts.  
  
"Good." Seto got out and walked up the driveway to the front door, which was opened by the maid before he could even knock.  
  
"Oh, Mr. Kaiba, come in." She held the door open wide. "Miss Palmer's been expecting you."  
  
Seto entered with a curt nod of acknowledgment, and then Lila emerged from the drawing room. "Mr. Kaiba. Right on time," she observed.  
  
Seto didn't answer that. "What is it you wanted to show me?" he demanded.  
  
Lila took him into the den. "You don't beat around the bush," she commented. "This is what I found." She held up a telephone bill. "This came today."  
  
Seto stared at it.  
  
"A few weeks ago," Lila continued, "JP came to stay here while his house was being remodeled. During that time—according to this bill—he made several phone calls to John Freddie, a local loanshark."  
  
Seto took the bill from her and looked it over. "I see. Was JP having financial problems?"  
  
"Not that I know of," Lila said slowly, "but as I told you, we're not close. And besides, it would go against his nature to come to me for help. He wouldn't want to 'burden' me with his problems, even though I'd be happy to help him if I could."  
  
Seto nodded. He wouldn't want to ask for help either, if he was in that predicament—but for a different reason—his independent attitude.  
  
"And that's not all," Lila said now. "After speaking with someone at the telephone company, I leaned that John Freddie called back here as well."  
  
"How long ago were these calls made?" Seto wanted to know.  
  
"Around the latter part of last month," was Lila's reply.  
  
"Have you told the police?" Seto studied the bill for another moment and then handed it back to her.  
  
To his surprise, Lila shook her head. "I've only told you," she informed him.  
  
Seto gave her a stern look. "The police should know. Why haven't you told them?"  
  
Lila looked guilty. "Well, frankly . . . I'm afraid that if Freddie abducted JP—but has kept him alive so far—that the news that Freddie is a suspect might make him do something drastic," she said.  
  
That made sense, and yet . . . somehow Seto didn't quite believe her.  
  
****  
  
Rishid stayed by Marik's side, watching the boy worriedly. "Master," he said softly, "please try to get better." He had known the boy ever since Marik was born, and he couldn't bear the thought of anything happening to him now.  
  
Marik moaned softly and turned his head to one side, his gold earrings clinking with the movement.  
  
The door opened and a nurse came in. "Sir?" she said slowly.  
  
Rishid stood up. "Yes?"  
  
The nurse came over closer and handed him an envelope. "This came in the afternoon mail," she said. "It's addressed to Marik Ishtar." She glanced down at the unconscious boy as she said his name, feeling quite sad.  
  
Rishid stared at the envelope suspiciously. There was no return address, and the only writing was glued on with newspaper letters. When he opened the flap, a single sheet of paper fell out and floated faceup onto Marik's chest. The only things on the paper were pictures of the poison symbol and a blood-soaked knife. 


	10. Horrifying Discoveries

The nurse gasped in horror. "Oh my!"  
  
Rishid picked the paper up, narrowing his eyes. "Someone is either playing a very abominable trick on us or else they are sending us an actual warning that my brother has been poisoned," he declared, staring intently at the symbols on the page.  
  
"This is serious," the nurse said grimly. "I will call the doctor and see if he has had any results from the blood test he did earlier."  
  
"The police should be notified as well," Rishid said, and the nurse agreed as she left the room.  
  
Rishid looked at Marik's still body. "Oh, my precious brother, what have they done to you?" he said sadly.  
  
****  
  
Seto drove away from Lila's home later that afternoon, deep in thought once more. Somehow he needed to find this loanshark and speak with him. Since the man's telephone number and name had shown up on the phone bill, perhaps he was listed in the phone book. John Freddie was supposed to be a respected private loan officer, but there were many rumors that he was actually a vicious loanshark who tortured those who couldn't pay him back.  
  
After a quick check in the phone book, Seto found that John Freddie was indeed listed and ordered the chauffeur to drive to his home.  
  
In about an hour, the limo pulled up in front of Freddie's mansion and Seto stepped out. "I won't be long," he said emotionlessly as he walked up the winding driveway. At least, he certainly hoped he wouldn't be long.  
  
When he rang the doorbell, a gruff-looking man in a business suit hauled the door open. "Whaddya want?" he growled. "Mr. Freddie ain't seein' nobody more today."  
  
Seto wasn't intimidated. "I'm not here about a loan," he replied sternly. "I only wish to speak with him briefly."  
  
The man's expression didn't lighten. "Yeah? And who are you?" His hand drifted underneath his coat.  
  
"I wouldn't try that if I were you," Seto said coldly. "Just tell him that Seto Kaiba is here." He grabbed the man's arm and wrenched it around, spotting the glint of a revolver hidden in the man's suspenders.  
  
"Seto Kaiba?!" the man grunted in disbelief, trying to pull his arm away.  
  
"What's this about Seto Kaiba?"  
  
Both Seto and the man looked up to see a classily-dressed man standing in the doorway.  
  
"I'm Seto Kaiba," Seto said, still holding firm to the man's wrist.  
  
The classily-dressed man started to laugh. "Well, fine! Come right in, Mr. Kaiba. I'm John Freddie." He looked sternly at his henchman. "Go off somewhere else, Vic," he ordered. "And no funny business with my guest!"  
  
Seto let Vic go and the man went off into another room, muttering to himself.  
  
Freddie turned back to Seto with what seemed to be a friendly smile. "Now, Mr. Kaiba, do sit down." He gestured toward the leather furniture. Seto sat in a nearby chair and then Freddie sat as well. "And to what do I owe the honor of your visit?" the man asked.  
  
Seto leaned forward. "Mr. Freddie, my company owns the radio station KETY here in Domino City," he said. "One of the deejays disappeared from there yesterday under suspicious circumstances."  
  
Freddie nodded, looking perfectly confused. "Yeah? Pardon me, Mr. Kaiba, but what does this have to do with me?"  
  
"Perhaps nothing," Seto replied smoothly. "This deejay—a JP Palmer—made several phone calls to you before he was abducted. Do you remember him?"  
  
Freddie shrugged. "Look, Mr. Kaiba, I get an awful lot of clients. I can't possibly remember them all."  
  
Seto nodded. "Of course not. But you must keep a record of some kind, don't you?"  
  
"Of course," Freddie agreed. "I could check it, if you don't mind waiting."  
  
"Not at all." Seto stood up. "But if you don't mind, Mr. Freddie, I would like to come with you."  
  
"Why should I mind?" Freddie turned and led Seto down a long hall into his den. Seto glanced around the nicely furnished room while Freddie looked through his computer files. Finally the man looked up. "Yeah, here it is—Palmer," he announced. "He took out a loan last month for ten thousand dollars. I remember him now. Friendly guy, but he seemed kinda nervous."  
  
"Did he say why he needed the loan?" Seto asked now. "That might be an important clue."  
  
Freddie shrugged. "I think it was somethin' to do with needin' the money to remodel his house," he said. "I didn't want to loan him so much money, but Vifa—my girl at the time—convinced me to let him have it."  
  
Seto could barely control his utter shock. "Excuse me, Mr. Freddie, but did you say 'Vifa'?!" he demanded.  
  
Freddie's eyes narrowed. "Yeah, I sure did. I thought she was some kind of angel, but she proved me wrong. One night she broke into my safe and started loadin' all the money into some van of hers. When I came home and cornered her, she shot me." His fists clenched angrily.  
  
Seto didn't like what he was hearing in the least. "Didn't the police arrest her?" he demanded.  
  
Freddie shook his head. "It was dark and I hadn't been able to see clearly, so the judge threw the case right out the door because Vifa hadn't had the money or the attempted murder weapon when they searched her place. Of course, that was only part of it. That dame completely charmed the judge into letting her go! I haven't seen her since."  
  
"I see." Seto nodded slowly. He paused, suddenly remembering something else. "Mr. Freddie, did JP ever pay back the money you loaned him?"  
  
Freddie paused and blinked. "No, he didn't," he said at last, consulting the screen.  
  
****  
  
Joey never did have any luck finding information about Vivalene's family, but he was meeting her for dinner, so he made up his mind to just ask her if she had a twin sister.  
  
Mai had left a while ago, but now the Brooklyn boy felt another presence standing by him and he whirled around to find Seto Kaiba there. The brown-haired boy stood with his arms folded across his chest and a disgusted look in his eyes.  
  
"How long have you been there?!" Joey demanded angrily. "You been spyin' on me?!"  
  
"I'm here to get Mokuba," Seto said coldly. He paused, then said, "But you'll never find the information you're seeking. Vivalene attacked Marik. I'm certain of it. She attacked someone else the same way. They couldn't prove it was her, but the victim knew it was."  
  
Joey stood up, his brown eyes aflame with fury. "Shut up, Kaiba. Just shut up!! It wasn't her, I tell ya! It couldn't have been!!"  
  
"Joey, don't be a moron." Seto only called the other boy by his first name when he had something extremely important to say to him. "What will it take for you to see what a devil she is?"  
  
"I don't gotta listen to this." Joey turned to go. "I'm meeting Vifa for dinner."  
  
Seto grunted. "Do as you please. She's not someone to mix with, but I can see that nothing your friends say will convince you." He turned to leave as well. "You would rather trust a woman you barely even know."  
  
"You're no friend of mine," Joey replied hurtfully as he stormed off.  
  
Seto looked momentarily stung. He had been trying to keep Joey from falling into a catastrophe he wouldn't be able to get out of, but that guy was completely ungrateful. Narrowing his eyes, he wandered off to find Mokuba. Joey had been so angry that he had forgotten to mention that Mokuba had gone off to see Marik.  
  
****  
  
Meanwhile, Yugi, Tristan, and Tea had just finished talking with another deejay—who, unfortunately, wasn't able to offer any information.  
  
"What do we do now?" Tea wondered, throwing her hands up in frustration.  
  
Tristan stopped suddenly. "Hey, do you guys hear that?!" he exclaimed.  
  
Yugi and Tea stopped as well. "I do," Yugi said worriedly. "Someone's crying!"  
  
Quickly the teens ran down the hall and found Mandy crying in a darkened storage room.  
  
"Hey, miss, what's wrong?" Tristan asked, kneeling down next to her.  
  
Mandy looked up, her face tear-streaked. "Mr. Von Wilkenson dismissed me!" she cried. "Just like that, boom, I'm fired!"  
  
"Why would he do that?" Yugi asked. "Bakura said he wouldn't take the job unless you agreed, and I know he wouldn't go back on his word."  
  
"He didn't," Mandy assured them. "But Von Wilkenson fired me anyway, even though he didn't have a replacement!"  
  
"Well, that's odd," Tea remarked. She hadn't forgotten her dislike of the other girl, and she knew Mandy could be annoying, but she still felt sorry for her.  
  
"He hates me!" Mandy sobbed. "He just completely hates me!" She paused. "And I think it's 'cause of what I heard the other week," she said conspiratorially.  
  
Yugi gasped. "You heard something? Can you tell us what it was?"  
  
Mandy nodded. "Well, a few weeks ago I was staying late at the station cleaning stuff up from one of JP's studio parties, and I happened to pass by Mr. Von Wilkenson's office. He was talking to some girl in there and I couldn't help but overhear what was being said. . . ."  
  
"What was it?" Tristan asked.  
  
Mandy paused. "Von Wilkenson was saying something about how they couldn't let anyone find out because it would be such bad publicity," she remembered, "and the girl was protesting. She said that this wasn't the kind of thing they could just keep silent about. And then Von Wilkenson said loudly, 'But what if they suspect me?!'"  
  
The teens gasped. "That doesn't sound good," Yugi said, shaking his head.  
  
Mandy hurried on with her tale. "Then I tried to hurry away, but he caught sight of me and grabbed me!" She rubbed her arm, obviously recalling the incident as if it was happening again. "He cursed at me and told me to forget everything I'd just heard. Then he shoved me out into the hall and slammed the door!"  
  
"That's terrible!" Tea cried. "Why didn't you just quit your job then and there?!"  
  
Mandy sighed. "I couldn't. I was afraid to," she admitted. She suddenly looked around wildly. "What am I thinking?! I shouldn't have told you guys all this while we're here! I should've waited and met you somewhere else later!" She wrung her hands frantically. "If Von Wilkenson learns I blabbed everything, we'll all be in terrible trouble!" She stood up. "I'd better leave."  
  
"But what will you do?" Yugi asked, wide-eyed.  
  
"I'll be fine," Mandy assured him, disappearing into the shadows and exiting through a back door.  
  
The teens stared after her in disbelief.  
  
"Man, never a moment's peace!" Tristan groaned.  
  
"Hey," Tea exclaimed suddenly, "where's Bakura?!"  
  
Yugi gasped. "That's true! We haven't seen him since he went to talk with Von Wilkenson, and that was hours ago!"  
  
Worriedly the teens ran down the halls, looking into every room and calling for their friend, but to no avail.  
  
"Man, I hope he's okay," Tristan said, shaking his head.  
  
Tea, who had just looked in another studio, suddenly let out a horrified shriek.   
  
Yugi's heart sank. "What is it?" he cried, but he was sure he already knew.  
  
Tea let the door swing open wide. "It's Bakura!" she screamed, pointing to the boy's still body on the floor. Blood was everywhere. "And he looks like he might be dead!!!" 


	11. Sister or No Sister?

"What?!" Yugi cried in horror as Tea's announcement, and he and Tristan ran in as well.  
  
Tea was just kneeling next to Bakura's lifeless body when the door opened and Yami Bakura came in. He stared at the boy, completely aghast and angry, and then he also knelt on the floor, taking Bakura into his arms. "Bakura . . . you dolt," he said softly.  
  
"What happened to him?!" Tea gasped. She, of course, wasn't very thrilled to see the tomb raider, but she hoped he would know what had happened to the poor boy.  
  
But Yami Bakura only shook his head. He didn't know. The truth was that Bakura had wandered off after the showdown with Mr. Von Wilkenson. Yami Bakura had gone looking for him—and for an empty studio as well, so he could get on the radio and scare some sense into those foolish mortals—when he had heard Bakura screaming pitifully in his mind. "You ridiculous simpleton," he said now, feeling the boy's blood drip over his arms.  
  
Tea reached out to touch Bakura gently. "He . . . he can't be . . . gone," she said softly. Yugi and Tristan were likewise horrified.  
  
"Idiot," Yami Bakura whispered, seeming to be oblivious to the teens' presence. He held Bakura close, trying desperately to connect with the boy through their mental bond, but to no avail. Bakura wasn't able to reply for any number of reasons—none of which were good. "Wake up, you stupid boy!!"  
  
"Come on, buddy," Tristan pleaded. "You've gotta be okay!"  
  
Bakura groaned then, shuddering in his Yami's arms.  
  
"He's alive!" Tea said in relief, hurrying to find something to press against his wounds.  
  
Yugi smiled as well. He didn't know what they'd ever do if any of them ever died on one of these cases.  
  
Yami Bakura also relaxed. Now that he knew the boy was alive, he tried to see how serious his injuries were.  
  
"He's bleeding from his chest!" Tea cried.  
  
Yami Bakura pulled the boy's sweater off and then unbuttoned his shirt, studying the wound thoughtfully. "He will live," he reported at last, muttering things about how absurd mortals were.  
  
****  
  
The nurse entered Marik's room again, her eyes sad. "Sir?" she said to Rishid.  
  
Marik's brother looked up. "You have brought ill news," he stated grimly.  
  
The nurse nodded. "I'm afraid he was poisoned," she informed him softly.  
  
Rishid had expected as much. "Is there an antidote?" he asked, praying that the answer would be yes.  
  
"There is," the nurse said slowly, injecting a needle into Marik's limp arm, "but the poison may have progressed too far to be stopped."  
  
"That cannot be," Rishid said softly. "He must get well!"  
  
Ishizu came in shortly after that, her eyes tired and sad. She wanted this nightmare to be over. "How is he?" she asked now, going over to Marik's motionless form and stroking his hair gently.  
  
Rishid paused. He didn't want to burden the poor woman with anything more, but he knew she needed to know. "He was poisoned," the man said quietly.  
  
Ishizu gasped in horror. "Isn't there something they can do?!"  
  
"They are trying what they can," Rishid told her, "but it still looks grim."  
  
Ishizu took Marik's limp hand, wishing desperately that he would be able to acknowledge her. "That viper," she whispered fiercely. "She denies everything, but I know she did this as surely as I know that the sun rises!"  
  
Rishid nodded sadly. "Someday her evil actions will catch up to her and justice will be done," he declared, wishing more than anything that he could take revenge for her atrocities.  
  
Ishizu rubbed her brother's hand gently, tears in her eyes.  
  
****  
  
Yami Bakura laid Bakura down gently on a couch on the studio and cleaned the boy's wounds. He spoke not a word—at least not in English. He muttered angrily in Egyptian from time to time and wouldn't let any of the teens get near Bakura.  
  
"Do you think he knows what he's doing?" Tristan wondered, looking frustrated.  
  
"We can only hope," Tea replied, also feeling annoyed but knowing that the ancient tomb raider was trying to help Bakura because he truly was concerned about the boy—no matter how much he denied it.  
  
"How is he?" Yugi asked, trying to peer over Yami Bakura's shoulder.  
  
The thief grunted, bathing a cut on Bakura's forehead. "I told you that he will live."  
  
"Yeah, but is he hurt badly?" Tristan demanded.  
  
"Maybe we should call an ambulance," Tea worried.  
  
"We don't need to call an ambulance!!!!" Yami Bakura thundered.  
  
Bakura stirred then, his soft brown eyes flickering open. "Where am I?" he asked in confusion.  
  
"Oh Bakura, are you okay?" Tea cried.  
  
Bakura blinked. "I'm alright," he said with a weak smile. He was actually in a lot of pain, but he didn't want anyone to have to worry about him.  
  
"You ridiculous fool!" Yami Bakura screamed. "You went off and got yourself all hurt!!"  
  
Bakura looked around, the memories of what had happened coming back to him.  
  
"What did happen to you, Bakura?" Yugi asked worriedly.  
  
Bakura watched as his Yami bandaged the wound on his chest and suddenly became aware that his shirt was open. He blushed, feeling self-conscious with Tea there.  
  
"Tell me, you dolt," Yami Bakura growled. "How did you wind up like this?!"  
  
Bakura winced as the thief began to clean a gash on his arm. "I . . . I remember hearing a strange noise here in the studio and I went to see what it was. . . ."  
  
"Imbecile," Yami Bakura interrupted.  
  
"I was worried that someone might be getting hurt," Bakura tried to explain. "So I opened the door and . . ."  
  
"And you got yourself hurt," Yami Bakura growled.  
  
Bakura groaned softly from the pain. "There . . . there was someone in here, but it was too dark to see who it was," he said now.  
  
"Another ninja?" Tristan suggested darkly.  
  
"It might have been," Bakura agreed softly. "He came at me with one of those weapons, and . . . I'm afraid that's all I remember," he said apologetically. "I don't recall him actually hurting me, but it appears as though he must have." Bakura tried to laugh wryly, but then his eyes widened in concern. "Oh dear . . . I hope no one else is hurt," he exclaimed worriedly.  
  
"Are you really okay, Bakura?" Yugi wanted to know, but he realized that the other boy would never want to worry them and probably wouldn't tell them if he was in terrible pain.  
  
"Of course he's not okay," Yami Bakura grumped before the boy could answer. "Rest, you fool," he ordered, pushing Bakura back against the couch when he tried to rise.  
  
"This really isn't necessary, Yami," Bakura protested.  
  
"Idiot," Yami Bakura muttered, and covered the boy with an afghan.  
  
"But I can't rest," Bakura insisted. "We need to find out if everyone else is alright, and also what the person wanted in here!"  
  
"Your friends can do all that," Yami Bakura said sternly. "Go to sleep here or else I will carry you back home to sleep there!"  
  
Bakura turned pink. "Yami, I don't need to be babied!" he cried.  
  
"Oh be quiet," Yami Bakura growled.  
  
"It's okay, Bakura," Tea said comfortingly. "We just want you to get better." She patted his shoulder gently.  
  
Bakura smiled, but still he looked worried. "Please find out if everyone else is alright," he requested softly.  
  
"We will, buddy," Tristan assured his friend.  
  
****  
  
Joey walked down the streets, heading for the cafe where Vivalene had said she'd meet him for dinner. He felt a bit guilty about the mean way he had snapped at Seto, but he was tired of everyone saying that Vivalene was a devil. She's just the opposite, he declared to himself. Seto deserved the harsh words Joey had dealt him.  
  
"Hello, Joey!" a familiar voice purred, and the Brooklyn boy saw his girl coming toward him, smiling in her special way.  
  
"Hey Vifa," Joey grinned, taking her hand.  
  
"Oh, you look upset, darling," Vivalene observed in apparent concern, brushing the long bangs out of the boy's brown eyes. "What's wrong?"  
  
Joey smiled. "Eh, it's nothin'," he lied.  
  
"Is it because your friends don't like me?" Vivalene asked now.  
  
Joey visibly started. He hadn't wanted to make Vivalene feel bad by letting her know in any way that his friends were totally against her, but still somehow she had apparently found out. I bet Kaiba told her somethin', he thought angrily. Aloud he just stammered. "Well, uh . . ."  
  
"I just felt so terrible when I knew that the Egyptian boy—what's his name? Marik?—thought that I had betrayed him," Vivalene said as they entered the cafe. "Perhaps he made the entire thing up just because he doesn't like me!"  
  
Joey fumed at that suggestion, which was exactly what Vivalene wanted him to do. "Man, I wouldn't be surprised!" he declared hotly. "That no-good, low-down, lyin' jerk!"  
  
Vivalene put a finger to his lips. "But then I suppose we really shouldn't speak ill of the poor thing," she mused. "After all, he *is* almost dead, and I pride myself on never speaking ill of the dead."  
  
Joey tried to get his emotions under control as they sat at a booth. Marik had changed, he tried to remind himself. He wouldn't be making stuff up to discredit someone's name.  
  
"But you like me, don't you, darling?" Vivalene interrupted his thoughts, laying her hand over his.  
  
Joey snapped out of his trance. "Oh man, of course I do!" he exclaimed. "I've never loved anyone more!"  
  
They talked about this and that as they ate, and finally they got around to the subject of relations.  
  
"Darling," Vivalene said now, "tell me about your family."  
  
Joey paused. "Well, my parents divorced years ago," he said slowly. "I have a sister who lives with my mother."  
  
Vivalene seemed intently interested in this information. Joey decided that now was the perfect time to ask his own question. "And that's pretty much it," he said with a shrug. "So, uh, what about your family, Vifa?"  
  
Vivalene smiled, almost as if she had hoped he would ask her that. "My parents are both dead," she said in a sad tone, "but I have two sisters."  
  
"Older or younger?" Joey asked, leaning forward eagerly.  
  
"One is younger and lives back in New York," Vivalene replied. "The other is my same age. In fact, she's my identical twin!"  
  
"A twin? I knew it!" Joey cried, elated.  
  
Vivalene shuddered. "She is an absolute witch," she proclaimed.  
  
"Where is she now?" Joey asked slowly.  
  
Vivalene sighed. "I don't know, darling. She's probably off breaking some poor dear's heart again. She is the black sheep of our family." She could see Joey was completely falling for her tale hook, line, and sinker. This is too easy, she thought to herself.  
  
Poor Joey, of course, thought this solved all their problems. I knew it! he said again. It's Vivalene's sister who's the jerk!  
  
****  
  
Yami Bakura watched Bakura sleep, starting to get impatient. What was that strange sweet smell? The tomb raider shook his head, deciding not to worry about it. Probably another soda that someone had left lying around.  
  
Perhaps he should have just carried the boy back home instead, as he had threatened to, he thought now. It actually wasn't very safe to be staying here in this studio after everything that had happened, but Yami Bakura knew that Bakura needed to rest. He was certain that he could take on any intruders. After all, he wasn't even mortal. He could call on the powers of the Shadow Realm to rid himself of any bothersome ninjas or whatever happened to pop up next.  
  
He blinked, shaking his head in confusion. Why did he feel so tired? He couldn't figure it out. Maybe if he just sat down for a minute. . . . He felt his eyes grow heavy, and they closed before he could do a thing about it.  
  
Vivalene stepped out of the shadows, smirking at the unconscious thief. The chloroform she had used wouldn't hurt him—only keep him under for a while, and that was what she wanted. She didn't need to put anyone else out of commission permanently—at least not yet.  
  
Quickly she moved over to the table and began rummaging through the drawers and files scattered across it. No, it wouldn't be there, she decided. Too obvious.  
  
After a long, drawn-out search, the woman found what she was looking for in a secret compartment of the filing cabinet. "Perfect," she declared, turning to leave.  
  
As she passed by Yami Bakura she paused and studied him thoughtfully, then moved closer. She reached out and took hold of his long silvery hair, a slight smile playing on her lips. She braided it carefully and precisely and then again turned to go. "Ciao, darling," she said quietly, blowing him a kiss. 


	12. More Strange Things

Seto had looked everywhere in the library for Mokuba before eventually finding out from a librarian that he had gone off to the hospital.  
  
When he got there, he found Mokuba standing outside and looking dejected.  
  
"Seto, they said Marik's been poisoned," he whispered, his face a picture of horror.  
  
Wordlessly Seto gathered the little boy into his arms, trying to comfort him. Now was not the time to scold him for running off from the library without telling him.  
  
****  
  
After Seto had taken Mokuba home, he headed for the KETY station once more. There were too many twists in this mystery, he thought to himself in frustration. Somehow he was certain that, once again, the cases—even though they seemed immensely different—were all connected.   
  
He tried to figure out how everything might fit together. What if JP had, perhaps, found out something that would prove once and for all what an evil person Vivalene was and he was captured—and, knowing what kinds of things Vivalene did, tortured and even maybe murdered eventually—so he couldn't reveal what he knew? That made an eerie kind of sense, but how would everything else fit in?   
  
Seto growled in vexation. Things still didn't make sense.  
  
"We're here, sir," the chauffeur announced then.  
  
Seto didn't answer and instead climbed out of the limo. "Wait here," he ordered, hoping that he wouldn't be long.  
  
When he walked through the door, he found Tea at the front desk. The girl started when she heard the door open, but she didn't look up from the computer where she was frantically typing. "Hello and welcome to KETY," she said, obviously pretending to be the receptionist.  
  
Amused and a bit annoyed, Seto leaned on the top of the computer. "What do you think you're doing?" he demanded.  
  
Tea looked up, also annoyed. "Go away, Kaiba," she hissed. "You're going to announce to everyone that I'm here!"  
  
Seto grunted and leaned back. "I take it that you're not supposed to be." His expression was impassive, as usual.  
  
"I'm looking at the KETY records to find a possible reason for why all these things are happening," Tea told him in frustration.  
  
"I see. Have you find anything of interest?" Seto wanted to know.  
  
Tea paused. "The only thing I've found out is that this station was built over an old bank," she replied.  
  
Seto didn't answer that, but his eyes showed vague interest. "Carry on," was all he said, and he disappeared down another corridor to find Darin' Dave. He hadn't forgotten that Lila had mentioned that the fill-in deejay might also be a suspect.  
  
****  
  
Bakura awoke slowly, feeling rested and refreshed. "Oh my," he said softly, "I wonder how long I've been asleep?"  
  
He raised himself up, looking around. Yami Bakura was slumped over in the chair, apparently asleep himself. Bakura wouldn't have thought anything of it, except that he then noticed a faint smell of something sweet in the air—and when he turned to look at the thief more closely, he discovered that Yami Bakura's hair was braided. "Yami?!" the boy cried in complete disbelief.  
  
When the tomb raider didn't reply, Bakura became increasingly worried. He shook his Yami gently on the shoulder. "Yami, are you alright? Please wake up!"  
  
Yami Bakura stirred then, muttering something to himself in Egyptian.  
  
"Yami, I can't understand you!" Bakura cried. "What are you saying?"  
  
The thief's eyes snapped open. "Stop shaking me!!!!" he screamed in English.  
  
Bakura released his grip, still looking worried. "Yami, are you alright?" he asked again.  
  
"Of course I'm alright, you fool!!!" Yami Bakura growled.  
  
The door opened and Yugi and Tristan entered. "What's going on in here?" Tristan demanded, and then suddenly stared at Yami Bakura, his eyes wide.  
  
"What is it, you fool?!" the tomb robber growled.  
  
Tristan snickered, pointing. "Your hair! Look at your hair!!"  
  
Yami Bakura blinked. "What about my hair, you ridiculous . . ." He trailed off, staring at the long braid his hair had been pulled into, and immediately began cursing and screaming loudly in Egyptian.  
  
Bakura and Yugi exchanged looks of their own. The thief obviously wasn't feeling ill, judging by the volume of his yells, and Bakura couldn't help but chuckle as his Yami pulled at his hair, unbraiding it and sending it flying once more in all directions. But Bakura had to wonder who had done that to his Yami, and why. What on earth was going on around here?!  
  
****  
  
Joey arrived at the station shortly after that. After the dinner date, which had been several hours before, he had dropped Vivalene off at KETY and promised to return later to walk her home.  
  
When the Brooklyn boy came in, he found himself in an empty lobby. "Hello? Anyone here?" he called, and then turned to head down a random corridor. Vivalene had said she would be organizing things for tomorrow's show, so she should be in one of the studios.  
  
But instead of finding Vivalene, Joey walked around a corner and banged right into Seto, sending them both to the floor. "Hey, I'm sorry," Joey started to apologize, but then he saw who he had bumped into. "Oh. It's you," he said coldly, standing up.  
  
Seto grunted and picked himself up, regarding the other boy equally as coldly. "Next time, Wheeler, watch where you're going."  
  
"I'd be glad to!" Joey shot back. "But *you* should watch where *you're* goin', Kaiba!" He narrowed his eyes. "Vifa does have a twin sister, just like I knew she did. And it's the sister who's always doin' crummy stuff, so you can't keep walkin' around feeding your lies about Vivalene to everyone!" With that, he pushed past Seto and stormed off down the hall.  
  
Seto watched him go, his own eyes narrowed. Vivalene had a twin sister? He would have to investigate into that. Joey had made it quite obvious that he didn't want Seto's help, and Seto certainly wasn't about to keep trying, but he had his own reasons for wanting more answers. He was certain that he had seen Vivalene somewhere before. Perhaps, if what Joey said was true, it was the sister that Seto had seen. But whether it was or not, he still knew that Vivalene herself was a very deadly, dangerous person. "You're only setting yourself up for a fall, Wheeler," he muttered.  
  
****  
  
Ishizu stroked her brother's soft hair, intense worry in her eyes. The doctor had said that so far, the antidote wasn't working. Marik was very weak and deathly ill, as Rishid had feared when the nurse had first told him that the boy had been poisoned, and it also wasn't likely that he would be able to fight the poison himself.  
  
"There's not much more we can do," the doctor said now.  
  
"I understand," Ishizu said softly. Tears filled her eyes as she realized that her brother might die. They had come through so much together. . . .   
  
Marik had been diabolical once—during Seto Kaiba's Battle City tournament especially—but no matter what the boy had done his sister loved him unconditionally. And his days of committing wretched acts had ended a while back. Now he had completely changed and was closer to his sister—and to Rishid—than he had been in a long time. Ishizu couldn't bear the thought that she might lose him. "You must fight, Marik," the Egyptian woman whispered. "You cannot leave us!"  
  
****  
  
Seto found Darin' Dave in another studio, stacking up twenty or so CDs.  
  
"Hey, Mr. Kaiba," the deejay said amiably before Seto could introduce himself. "I guess you're here to talk to me about JP."  
  
Seto's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "How did you know?"  
  
Dave shrugged. "A birdie told me. But I'm not the crook you're looking for. Sure, I was bitter for a while that Von Wilkenson gave the job to JP instead of to me, but I got over it. You can't stay bitter forever, after all."  
  
Seto observed the man, never dropping his suspicious gaze. "But now that JP has vanished, you're doing his show," he remarked.  
  
"That's true," Dave agreed. "But I wouldn't have gone to all the trouble of abducting JP to get his show, if that's what you're insinuating."  
  
Seto grunted. "Some people do stupid things."  
  
Dave was undaunted. "They sure do," he agreed.  
  
Seto could see that he wasn't going to get anywhere with this man. "If you're not telling the truth, I'll find out," he vowed. The boy turned and left, his trenchcoat sweeping across the room.  
  
****  
  
Joey walked Vivalene back to the fancy hotel she was staying at. "Hey," the boy said worriedly, "aren't you going to get a regular house? You're not planning to leave soon, are you?"  
  
Vivalene paused. "I never know, darling," she admitted. "I hope I can stay for a long time, but I might get transferred to another station at any time."  
  
"Man, they can't do that!" Joey cried. "You've gotta stay here with me!"  
  
"I'll do my best, darling," Vivalene promised.  
  
They stopped in front of the hotel. Joey kissed Vivalene on the lips and turned to go. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said.  
  
"Tomorrow," she agreed with a smile.  
  
****  
  
Von Wilkenson entered the studio, his face purple. "Bakura!!!" he growled, standing in front of the silver-haired boy, who was still on the couch. "I've been looking for you everywhere! You weren't here to do your show, you idiot! What have you been doing—taking a nap?!"  
  
"Now just a minute!" Yugi cried, but before he could speak in Bakura's defense, Yami Bakura stood up to his full height, his brown eyes blazing.  
  
"You insolent creature," the tomb raider hissed. "That boy was being violently beaten while you were concerned with your station's confounded ratings!"  
  
Von Wilkenson paled. "Is this true?" he cried, looking at Bakura in disbelief.  
  
"I'm afraid so, sir," Bakura admitted. "But I wouldn't have done the show anyway. I won't steal it from someone else."  
  
"Look, I fired Mandy," Von Wilkenson interrupted abruptly.  
  
"You what?!" Bakura gasped.  
  
"I want you for my station!" Von Wilkenson said, slamming his fist down on the table. "But your 'nice-boy' persona is starting to drive me crazy!! That's not the way you get ahead in this business!"  
  
"Well, then, I don't want to be a part of this business," Bakura replied firmly.  
  
"Mr. Von Wilkenson, aren't you in the least concerned that Bakura was attacked?" Yugi cried. "He could've been very seriously injured!"  
  
"Of course I'm concerned!" the man grumped, throwing his hands up in the air. "I couldn't find him to do the show, and now he says he won't do it at all!"  
  
"You make me sick," Tristan declared, his hazel eyes narrowed.  
  
"Such is show biz, young man," Von Wilkenson retorted.  
  
"Sir," Bakura said now, choosing to ignore that comment, "I believe whoever was here earlier may have came back while I was asleep to get what they were looking for."  
  
"Oh?" Von Wilkenson gave him a searching look. "And why do you think that?"  
  
Bakura paused. "Well, because . . ." He couldn't stop a small smile from drifting across his face. "Because he fell asleep too, and he woke up with his hair braided." The boy indicated Yami Bakura, who growled in reply.  
  
Von Wilkenson stared at Yami Bakura. "You're Bakura's brother, aren't you?" he asked.  
  
"Hardly," Yami Bakura growled. "Why, I'm old enough to be his . . ."  
  
"Yami!" Bakura hissed in an undertone.  
  
Von Wilkenson's attention was already drifting away. He looked around the room, suddenly spotting the filing cabinet slightly ajar. "Oh no!" he gasped.  
  
"What is it?" Yugi asked.  
  
Von Wilkenson didn't answer. Instead he ran over and pried the filing cabinet open, staring inside. "It's gone!!" he screamed.  
  
"What's gone?" Yugi tried again.  
  
"None of your business!" Von Wilkenson snapped, running out the door and muttering to himself.  
  
Tristan slammed his fist into his palm. "Man, if I could just get him alone for about five minutes. . . ." The man's rudeness annoyed him to no end.  
  
"What on earth do you suppose he was talking about?" Bakura exclaimed.  
  
"It's a mystery," Yugi said, shaking his head.  
  
They all gathered around the filing cabinet and looked inside. It was completely empty. There were no clues at all as to what had been taken, but whatever it had been, Von Wilkenson was obviously very distressed about it.  
  
****  
  
Seto, frustrated over his interview with Darin' Dave, was preparing to leave the station and return home to Mokuba. He decided it would be profitable to learn about the old bank the KETY building had replaced. Perhaps that was an important clue in the plot, somehow. . . . Everything was much too confusing.  
  
Just as he was about to go out the door, a familiar ear-piercing shriek rent through the air and the boy paused.  
  
"Tea?" he called, looking around. "Tea, where are you?!"  
  
He walked down a hall and opened a door to a nearby storage room, then started in shock.  
  
Tea had been cornered up against a wall by Lila, JP's sister—and she was brandishing a knife! 


	13. Collision!

"What do you think you're doing?!" Seto growled, entering the room threateningly.  
  
"Kaiba!" Tea screamed. "Don't come in!"  
  
"Kaiba?" Lila repeated and turned to look. This gave Tea the opportunity to kick out and knock the woman off-balance.   
  
Immediately Seto rushed forward and restrained Lila before she could use the knife on anyone. "Now," he said coldly, "would you like to explain why you were trying to hurt her?"  
  
Lila struggled. "Let me go, you stupid kid!" She kicked out hard, hitting Seto on the shin. The boy grunted in pain but didn't loosen his grip.  
  
"Don't hurt him!" Tea cried, her eyes flashing.  
  
"It's just as I thought," Seto muttered low.  
  
"What do you mean?" Lila demanded.  
  
"I suspected something was amiss earlier," Seto replied. "I could see that you weren't telling me everything you could've."  
  
"Kaiba, what's going on?!" Tea exclaimed. "Are you saying you know this woman?!"  
  
Seto grunted and didn't answer her question. "You're the one trying to steal something from the station, aren't you?" he said to Lila.  
  
"I don't have to tell you anything!!" Lila screamed, continuing to struggle.  
  
"It's either me or the police," Seto said coldly. "So . . . which will it be?"  
  
Lila paused, seeming to be considering. Then without warning she kicked at Seto again, harder this time. But instead of having the effect she wanted, the boy only tightened his grip on her.  
  
"Enough of that," he growled. "Talk."  
  
Lila decided it was useless to keep fighting. "Maybe I was trying to find something," she admitted at last.  
  
"What were you looking for?!" Tea wanted to know.  
  
"That's my secret," Lila replied with a wicked grin.  
  
"You'd better tell us everything," Seto said warningly. "You do realize that Tea could charge you with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon?"  
  
Lila growled in frustration. At last she said, "About twenty years ago, there was a bank here instead of a radio station."  
  
"We know that," Seto replied icily.  
  
Lila blinked, momentarily surprised, but then went on. "Well, not long before the bank closed and sold the land to Bruce Von Wilkenson, there was a really big robbery. The thieves got away with almost everything in the vault."  
  
"I remember my parents talking about that," Tea said. "It happened before I was born, but Mom and Dad were always worrying that the bank they used would one day have the same problem."  
  
Seto grunted. He remembered hearing about it too, but that was irrelevant. "Go on," he said to Lila.  
  
"Well, some people believe that the heist was an inside job," Lila continued, "and that the riches were hidden in a secret compartment under the building until the thief could return for them."  
  
"And so you decided that you wanted them," Seto supplied.  
  
"Why not?" Lila smiled.  
  
"And so I suppose you engineered all those life-threatening attacks," Seto said now, his eyes narrowing. "You were probably hoping to scare everyone away so that you would be free to search for the secret compartment in the basement."  
  
Lila looked impressed. "You know, you're a smart cookie," she admitted.  
  
"But what about JP?" Tea exclaimed.  
  
Lila shrugged. "One night he was here at the station alone and I didn't realize that. He accidentally caught me trying to enter the basement and figured out what I was up to. He promised not to call the police if I promised to stop trying to steal the jewels, but he and I both knew that that was a promise I couldn't keep." She smiled wickedly.  
  
"So you kidnapped your own brother?!" Tea cried in horror.  
  
"Hey, it was nothing personal," Lila replied. "Just business."  
  
"You revolt me," Seto muttered. "Tea, call the police," he ordered.  
  
"Hey, wait a minute!" Lila cried, struggling again. "I didn't agree to no police!"  
  
Seto didn't look impressed. "Surely you didn't think we would let you go free after everything you've done?"  
  
"You could've killed so many people with your sick stunts!" Tea cried as she dialed the number for the precinct.  
  
Lila shrugged. "That's the price of riches."  
  
Seto's lip curled in disgust.  
  
****  
  
Gabrielle and her partner soon came to take Lila away.  
  
"Where is JP?" Tea demanded now.  
  
Lila looked blase. "I don't know," she replied.  
  
"What do you mean, 'you don't know'?!" Tristan cried, his eyes narrowed.  
  
"I don't know," Lila insisted. "He escaped from where he was being held, but he hasn't got back to town yet as far as I know." She didn't sound worried about JP in the least. "If you want to find him, maybe you'd better send out a search party."  
  
Seto had seen many appalling things through the years, but one thing he didn't think he would ever be able to get used to was someone completely turning on a sibling like that. He loved Mokuba more than anything and would never dream of doing anything to harm that precious boy. Lila's actions repulsed him to no end.  
  
"What about the blueprints for the station??" Von Wilkenson blurted without thinking.  
  
Everyone turned to stare at him. "What?!" Lila said in disbelief. "What blueprints for the station?!"  
  
"The blueprints!!!" Von Wilkenson screamed. "You stole them earlier today!"  
  
"I don't even know what you're talking about!" Lila shook her head, looking utterly baffled.  
  
"Let's go," Gabrielle said sternly.  
  
Lila sneered at the teens as she was led off. "Mark my words—I'll get free and then I'll be back!"  
  
The teens all looked at each other. "Well, JP's hopefully gonna get found soon now," Tristan remarked. "But does this mean that Kaiba and Tea solved our mystery?"  
  
Yugi shook his head. "I'm afraid it's only partially solved," the violet-eyed boy said grimly. "You two only caught one of the criminals," he told Seto and Tea. "There's still more running free."  
  
Seto grunted. He knew that as well. "Vivalene is involved somehow," he growled low. "I know she is."  
  
Tea nodded, her eyes shining and worried. "What can we do?!" she cried.  
  
Yugi's eyes were grave. "We need to figure out why someone would steal the station's blueprints," he said. "Maybe there's someone else after this treasure that's supposedly in the basement."  
  
"Vivalene," Seto said darkly, turning to go. "It must be her."  
  
"Kaiba, where are you going?!" Tea demanded.  
  
"I have research of my own to do," Seto replied.  
  
Tristan looked frustrated. "Look, we're all in on this," he said. "We should all be working together!"  
  
"I've told you," Seto answered, not turning back, "I work alone." He paused. "But if anyone needs a ride home, I will take them," he said at last.  
  
"Take Bakura," Yami Bakura grunted, pushing the injured boy forward.  
  
"Oh, Yami, that's not necessary," Bakura protested.  
  
"Take him," Yami Bakura ordered.  
  
Seto looked Bakura over and saw how weak the boy was. "Come on," he said, and Yami Bakura dragged Bakura along.  
  
"Why don't we all go?" Tristan suggested. "We can brainstorm more about the case."  
  
Seto grunted. "Do as you wish."  
  
****  
  
All the teens did wind up going with Seto, and they tried to discuss various possibilities for the rest of the case, but they kept coming back to the same idea—Vivalene was deeply involved somehow.  
  
"I sure miss Joey," Yugi said wistfully.  
  
"Me too," Bakura agreed.  
  
"He shouldn't be mixed with that hussy," Tristan muttered, his eyes flashing angrily. He missed his friend too, but he couldn't bring himself to drop his frustrated attitude. "What an idiot!"  
  
Seto didn't join in the conversation, but he whole-heartedly agreed. Joey was making a grave mistake by continuing to hang around with Vivalene. If he didn't stop, someone was going to get hurt—and that someone would probably be Joey himself. That was what the Brooklyn boy would get for playing with fire.  
  
"Hey," Tristan said suddenly, "hasn't that car been behind us for an unusually long time?"  
  
Everyone turned to look. "Not again!" Tea cried.  
  
Seto grunted. It looked like the same car from the previous night. "Drive around that corner," he ordered the chauffeur sharply, feeling immensely irritated.  
  
The chauffeur obeyed, but those in the other car were used to the road tricks by now and only speeded up to abruptly slam into the limo from behind. Tea screamed as the chauffeur lost control of the wheel, sending them spinning out of control.  
  
Without warning, another car came around from the opposite direction. Before the driver could stop it, he smashed headlong right into the limousine!  
  
****  
  
Ishizu awoke with a start in the straight-backed chair. She hadn't meant to fall asleep, but it had seemed so long since she had been able to relax. The Egyptian woman hadn't closed her eyes at all since she and Rishid had found Marik laying nearly dead in the museum, and she didn't want to rest until she knew that her brother would be alright. Her body had made her fall asleep without her permission, and for that she wasn't pleased.  
  
She looked down at Marik and felt her eyes fill with tears again. The boy looked even weaker and more ill than before. "Oh Marik," she said softly, and then looked up at Rishid. "He is not getting better, is he?" It was more a statement than a question. Ishizu already knew the answer.  
  
"No," Rishid replied sadly, "he is not."  
  
Ishizu held Marik's hand gently, stroking it. "Why would that vile woman do this to him?" she cried.  
  
"I do not know," Rishid said softly. "Master Marik never mentioned being acquainted with someone named Vivalene."  
  
Ishizu gently brushed the long bangs out of Marik's closed eyes. "He will get better," she said firmly. "He must!"  
  
****  
  
Tea's eyes opened slowly when she heard someone calling her name. "Huh?" she said softly, still confused.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
Tea blinked. Now she recognized the voice—it was Seto. Apparently she had been thrown against him in the limo during the . . .  
  
The limo had crashed! she remembered with a start. Immediately she perked up, looking around worriedly. What if someone was hurt?  
  
Seto grunted upon the girl's sudden movement. "You seem to be fine," he remarked.  
  
Tea turned to look at him. "Are you?" she asked softly, but she was certain of the answer she'd get before Seto ever replied.  
  
"I'm alright," he told her, and he did look unscathed—thank goodness, she thought.  
  
Quickly Tea's gaze drifted over the rest of the limo. Tristan was sitting on the opposite side of the limo, looking dazed but unhurt. "Man," he said softly, shaking his head, "I never thought something like that would happen!"  
  
Bakura, sitting next to him, looked shaken and dizzy. Instantly Yami Bakura came out of the Ring and began examining him.  
  
"Foolish mortal," he muttered.  
  
Bakura tried to smile weakly. "Well, Yami, it looks like walking might have been safer after all," he remarked, attempting some humor.  
  
Yami Bakura only growled. "You're hurt," he proclaimed.  
  
"No, Yami, I'm fine," Bakura insisted, but he felt light-headed. Before he could stop himself, he fell unconscious and slumped back.  
  
"Bakura!" Tristan and Tea both gasped, and Yami Bakura knelt next to the boy worriedly, trying to wake him up.  
  
"Hey, where's Yugi?!" Tristan cried suddenly, realizing that he hadn't seen the violet-eyed boy since the crash.  
  
Tea's eyes went wide. "Yugi?" she called, undoing her seatbelt and looking around frantically. "Yugi, where are you?!"  
  
Seto also scanned the dark interior of the limo, his eyes narrowed in concern. Had the other boy perhaps been thrown out during the crash? 


	14. Tragedy

Suddenly Tea spotted a still form in the shadows and she let out a scream. "It's Yugi!!!" she cried, kneeling down and touching the boy's shoulder. "Yugi, can you hear me?!" she whispered.  
  
"Be careful," Seto warned. "You might hurt him worse."  
  
The chauffeur quickly switched on the overhead light and all of the conscious teens looked at Yugi worriedly. The boy was slumped against the door and he wasn't moving, nor did he stir with Tea's wails and pleas.  
  
"He's hurt seriously," Seto muttered. "Call an ambulance now!"  
  
Yami Yugi soon came out to tend to Yugi's injuries, and not long after that the paramedics arrived as well. Bakura was conscious by that time, and he insisted that they examine Yugi first.  
  
"Oh, is he hurt bad?!" Tea cried in horror.  
  
The paramedics laid the boy across the seat of the limo and then gently pried his eyes open to look at the pupils. "He doesn't have a neck or a spinal injury," the first EMT reported, "and his eyes look normal."  
  
The teens—and Yami Yugi, too, of course—were immensely relieved.  
  
"But why doesn't he wake up?!" Yami Yugi demanded now.  
  
"He hit his head hard on the door," the paramedic explained. "He might have a bad concussion, but we'll only know that for certain if and when he wakes up."  
  
**Yugi, can you hear me?** Yami Yugi called through their mental connection, still feeling panicky.  
  
Yugi stirred then, much to everyone's relief, and opened his eyes. "Yami?" he said weakly.  
  
Yami Yugi smiled. "Yes, Yugi," he said quietly. "Are you alright?"  
  
Yugi blinked. "I . . . I think so," he said, staring in confusion at the paramedics.  
  
"Do you know where you are? And what happened?" one of them wanted to know.  
  
Yugi paused, thinking. "I . . . we're in Kaiba's limo," he replied slowly. "I . . . I remember a crash. . . ." He tried to sit up, but Yami Yugi gently pushed him back down. "Is everyone okay?" the boy asked worriedly.  
  
"Yes, Yugi, everyone's fine," Yami Yugi assured him.  
  
Tea rushed forward and embraced her friend warmly. "Oh, Yugi, we were so worried about you!" she declared.  
  
Yugi blushed. "I'm okay," he said firmly, smiling.  
  
The paramedics questioned him for a while longer, but they eventually concluded that he was truly was okay.  
  
"All of you were incredibly blessed tonight," one of them remarked. "You might all have died."  
  
Yugi blinked, suddenly remembering something else. "Hey, what happened to the people in the car that hit us?" he asked, his eyes worried. "Are they hurt?"  
  
Seto grunted. "There was no one in the car that hit us," he stated.  
  
Everyone turned to stare. "You're kidding!" Tristan cried.  
  
"It's true," a second paramedic confirmed. "It seems that someone purposely tried to kill all of you. They apparently took the brake off the car and then sent it down the street towards your limo, Mr. Kaiba." He nodded at the young businessman, who looked irritated.  
  
Everyone all looked at each other. Lila had been arrested, but things definitely weren't any safer.  
  
****  
  
Again Mokuba was laying awake on the couch, waiting for his brother with increasing worry. "Where is he, Velma?" he wailed. After finding out what had happened to Marik, he was more afraid than ever that something would happen to Seto.  
  
"I don't know, Mokuba," the maid replied softly, wringing her hands. "I just don't know!" She couldn't forget the evil threat that had been made against her boss last night. What if Seto wasn't alright? she worried.  
  
The phone rang then, breaking the silence. Instantly Mokuba snatched it up. "Big brother?" he said hopefully.  
  
"Hey kid," the older boy said warmly.  
  
"Oh Seto, I've been so worried!" Mokuba cried, his eyes shining. "Are you okay, big brother?"  
  
"I'm fine, Mokuba," Seto replied in a gentle voice.  
  
"What happened, Seto?" Mokuba demanded. "Why aren't you back yet?!"  
  
Seto paused. "I'm sorry, kid. I got . . . delayed. But I'm coming back now," he promised.  
  
"I hope so," Mokuba said fervently.  
  
After Seto hung up with his brother, he turned back to the other teens wordlessly. At last he directed the chauffeur to start the limo again. The front of the automobile was badly dented, but it still seemed to run virtually flawlessly. "Drive carefully," Seto ordered.  
  
"Yes, sir," the chauffeur agreed firmly. He didn't want any more accidents.  
  
"I wonder where Joey is?" Yugi mused sadly, rubbing the large bump on his left temple.  
  
"Yeah, I wonder too," Tristan muttered. "Would he even be upset to hear that his old friends could've been killed tonight, or would he just say that we deserved it because we keep saying how devilish Vivalene is?"  
  
"Tristan!" Tea scolded. "Joey wouldn't be like that!"  
  
"Well, I'm not so sure," Tristan said bitterly. "He's changed, Tea. I have to wonder if he even still considers us his friends!"  
  
Seto didn't join in the conversation. He already knew that Joey didn't consider him a friend—but then they never had really been pals. Still, Seto again felt the sting of the other boy's words. Joey had spoken harshly, but Seto had a hard time believing that he would treat his real friends the same way.  
  
****  
  
Joey was just settling into bed when the phone rang abruptly. The boy muttered to himself and then finally lifted the receiver. "Yeah? What is it?" he demanded. "Do you know what time it is?!"  
  
"Oh, now darling, is that any way to speak to your sweetheart?" Vivalene scolded gently.  
  
Immediately Joey's voice and expression changed. "Vifa!" he said in delight. "What's up?"  
  
"Well, actually, darling . . ." Vivalene paused. "I'm in a bit of a predicament. Can you possibly come out here?"  
  
"Of course!" Joey exclaimed. "Where are you, Vifa? Still at the hotel?"  
  
"No, darling," Vivalene replied softly. "I'm at the KETY studios. Please come quickly!" There was a crash and a scream, followed by silence.  
  
Joey was horrified. "Vifa?!" he screamed. "Vifa!!" Without another thought, he turned and headed for the door.  
  
****  
  
Ishizu watched Marik in horror, seeing how drawn and haggard the boy looked. Nothing that doctors had done had been able to help him. She knew her brother was dying.  
  
Rishid knew this as well, and he looked down sadly at his poor brother. How could Marik really be about to leave this world?  
  
"Dear brother," Ishizu whispered. "If only you could come back to us! . . ." Or at least, she prayed silently, please let us speak with him one last time before he. . . . She trailed off, unable to finish. Marik couldn't die!  
  
As if in answer to Ishizu's prayer, Marik groaned weakly and forced his lavender eyes half-open. "Dear sister," he rasped softly, squeezing Ishizu's hand. "I am afraid I will . . . not make it."  
  
The Egyptian woman choked back a sob. "Oh Marik . . . please do not leave, brother," she begged.  
  
"Do not worry," Marik replied gently. "We will meet again, dear sister."  
  
Ishizu, normally in control of her feelings, couldn't repress them now. "No, Marik!" she cried. "Do not speak that way! You are not going to . . . to . . ."  
  
Marik smiled at her comfortingly, then turned slightly to see his dear brother. "Rishid," he whispered, trying to reach for his hand.  
  
Instantly Rishid grabbed it, tears emerging from his eyes. "Master Marik, please . . . please fight," he said softly.  
  
Marik shook his head sadly. "I have tried," he replied. "I will not give up, but I fear that . . ." He trailed off. "Rishid? When . . . when I am . . . gone . . ."  
  
Ishizu cried out in anguish. Marik weakly squeezed her hand.  
  
"When I am gone," he repeated, "always remember how much I . . . I loved you and Ishizu." He looked back and forth between his two older siblings. "You have always been a brother to me, Rishid."  
  
Rishid clutched tighter at the boy's hand, trying to somehow make him stay, even though he knew he didn't have that power. "I know . . . Marik," he said softly. "You were always . . ." He choked. "Always my brother as well."  
  
Marik embraced him weakly and then hugged Ishizu as well. "Farewell," he said softly, his eyes closing. The heart monitor flatlined as the boy's hand went limp.  
  
Ishizu was absolutely dumbfounded. This couldn't be real! "No!" she screamed. "No, Marik, no!!" She collapsed across her brother's lifeless body and embraced him tightly.  
  
****  
  
When Joey arrived at the KETY studios, everything was completely dark and ominous. "Hello?" the Brooklyn boy called as he walked through the revolving door. "Vifa?! Where are you?!"  
  
Suddenly an arm reached out and yanked him behind the front desk. "Darling, stay quiet," Vivalene hushed him.  
  
Joey relaxed. "Oh man, Vifa, are you okay?!" he cried.  
  
"Yes, darling," she assured him, "I am just fine."  
  
"Well, what the heck happened?!" Joey demanded. "I was afraid you were bein' attacked or somethin'!!"  
  
Vivalene paused. "Actually, darling, I was," she said softly, shuddering. "Oh, it was terrible!"  
  
"What was it?" Joey gasped, his brown eyes wide.  
  
"Another of those dreadful ninjas!" Vivalene explained. "Somehow I managed to hit him with a vase, knock him out, and drag him into a closet—but oh, I've never been so frightened!"  
  
Joey pulled the woman into his arms. "You're safe with me," he declared.  
  
"Oh, I know, darling," Vivalene purred now. "That's why I need you to help me with a little job."  
  
Joey blinked. "Eh, sure, Vifa, but what kind of job is this?"  
  
Vivalene pulled out of his embrace and held up what looked like a blue sheet of paper. "We're just going to find a few things that I lost a while ago," she told him, standing up. "Come, darling."  
  
Joey stood up as well, completely baffled. "Lead on, Vifa," he said, following after her.  
  
****  
  
Seto, meanwhile, had taken the other teens to their homes and then returned to his own. Now he was in his computer room, looking for any information on Vivalene or someone resembling her.  
  
"So, what's up?" the computer asked after Seto explained what to search for. "Are you still tryin' to help Joey out? From what you said, he's made it pretty clear that he doesn't want any help."  
  
Seto grunted. "I'm not trying to help him any more. He wouldn't listen to anything I said anyway. But I'm certain I've seen Vivalene somewhere before. I want to know if it's actually possible."  
  
"How could you not remember meeting someone like that?!" the computer cried.  
  
"I may have passed her in the halls at KaibaCorp," Seto replied. "I want to know if she works there in some way. I, unfortunately, don't know everyone who's employed by my company, so I might very well have seen Vivalene and not known it."  
  
"That makes sense," the computer agreed, pausing as she continued to search. "Hey, I think I've just found something!" she cried excitedly.  
  
"Can you show it to me onscreen?" Seto asked.  
  
"Here it comes," the computer said grandly, and then an employee's record came up. "The name doesn't match, but the picture fits the description you gave me."  
  
Seto stared intently at the employee's bio while he waited for the picture to download. "'JoDee Anderson,'" he read, his eyes narrowing. "It says she applied for a job as a clerk several months ago."  
  
The picture finally finished its download and Seto stared at it.  
  
"Well?" the computer asked eagerly. "Is it her?"  
  
"It certainly is," Seto replied. "Her's hair different and she's tried to make herself look older than she really is, but it's definitely her." A new thought struck him. Had Vivalene been the one embezzling his company's money?  
  
"Hey!" the computer cried suddenly. "I just remembered something else!"  
  
"Go on," Seto said, crossing his arms.  
  
"I remember an article about a girl down in California named Elizabeth who died tragically in a boating accident five years ago," the computer told him. "If I remember right, she looked an awful lot like this Vivalene!"  
  
Seto was intrigued. "Can you find it again?"  
  
"I'm sure I can," the computer said confidently. "Just give me a minute to log on to the Internet."  
  
Seto waited for about five minutes while the computer logged on and searched, thoughts tumbling over each other in his mind.  
  
"I've got it!" the computer announced at last, and the article appeared on the screen. Seto read over it quickly, several of the pieces finally starting to click when he reached the bottom.  
  
Seto pointed at the words on the screen. "It says here that Elizabeth is survived by her two sisters—one younger than her, named JoDee—and a twin."  
  
"Vivalene?" the computer supplied.  
  
"Exactly," Seto nodded.  
  
"Big brother?"  
  
Seto whirled around. Mokuba was standing in the doorway, sleepy-eyed. "Mokuba!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing out of bed?!"  
  
"I couldn't sleep, Seto," Mokuba said softly, coming over and standing next to him. "I'm so worried about you, and I'm afraid that something awful just happened!"  
  
Seto laid a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "I'm alright, kid," he said softly.  
  
Mokuba shook his head. "I'm afraid something happened to someone else," he whispered, then suddenly turned to stare at the pictures on the computer screen. "Who's that?!" he cried in astonishment.  
  
"That," Seto replied with obvious distaste, "is the girl Joey Wheeler's dating."  
  
Mokuba gasped. "That's Vivalene?!" he cried.  
  
"It sure is," Seto said in surprise. "Why? You almost sound as if you know her, Mokuba."  
  
Mokuba nodded vigorously. "I remember seeing her at KaibaCorp a few weeks ago! She was coming down the hall looking really upset, but when I tried to ask what was wrong she called me a brat and shoved me out of the way!"  
  
Seto's eyes narrowed. "Oh, she did, huh?" It didn't surprise him in the least.  
  
The phone suddenly rang, startling them both. Mokuba's eyes went wide. "Who would call at this time of night, big brother?!" he cried.  
  
Seto shook his head and picked up the receiver. "Kaiba," he said sternly, then listened. Mokuba watched, seeing the older boy's expression change from suspicion to disbelief. Something was wrong.  
  
"Seto, what is it?" Mokuba cried worriedly when he hung up.  
  
Seto paused, then turned to look his brother directly in the eyes. "Mokuba," he said softly, pulling the boy close, "that was Rishid. It seems that . . ." He paused again, struggling for words. "Kid, Marik is dead," he said softly. 


	15. Vivalene's Treachery Continues

Mokuba's eyes widened in horror. "No!" the boy cried. "He can't be!!"  
  
"I'm sorry, Mokuba," Seto whispered, holding his brother comfortingly. He knew that ever since Marik had turned good, the Egyptian boy and Mokuba had become close. For Marik to actually be dead was a terrible blow for Seto's brother, and Seto hated relaying the news.  
  
Now Mokuba buried his face in Seto's trenchcoat and sobbed. "Why?!" he wailed. "Why did he havta die?!"  
  
Seto gently stroked the younger boy's hair. "He was very sick, Mokuba," he said softly.  
  
Mokuba shook his head. "But he should've gotten better! Why didn't he?!"  
  
"I don't know, kid." Seto wished desperately that this hadn't happened. "But he's free of the pain now," the older boy said quietly. "Wherever he is now, he's probably a lot happier than he was here."  
  
"I know, but . . ." Mokuba looked up, his face tear-streaked. "I'm gonna miss him, Seto!" he cried.  
  
"Of course you will," Seto said gently, brushing away the other boy's tears and looking into his deep gray eyes. "Come on," he said softly, "I'll take you to bed."  
  
Mokuba nodded sadly, and Seto stood up with the younger boy in his arms.  
  
After tucking his brother into bed and again waiting until he was asleep, Seto went back downstairs, outraged thoughts swirling through his mind. Vivalene was a murderess. Marik was dead because of her, and there was no telling what she might do next.  
  
He reached idly for his briefcase, but it wasn't there. The boy's eyes narrowed in confusion. Where had it gone?  
  
Wait a minute . . . could he have left it at the KETY building by accident when he had grabbed for Lila to restrain her from hurting Tea? That was it. It had to be there. Seto folded his arms in irritation. There were important papers in that briefcase. He would have to go retrieve it.  
  
"Velma," he said as he turned to the door, "I have to go out."  
  
"But sir . . ." the maid protested.  
  
"I won't be long," Seto assured her. "But if Mokuba wakes up, be sure to go up and see if he's alright. Marik Ishtar died tonight and Mokuba isn't taking it well." Seto felt sad about it himself, but over the years he had gotten so that he didn't show his emotions openly—at least, certainly not very often.  
  
Velma's eyes widened. "Poor Marik," she said softly.  
  
Seto nodded and again turned to leave.  
  
"But sir, where can I reach you if something else awful happens?" Velma asked suddenly.  
  
Seto paused. "I'll be at the KETY building," he said as he walked out.  
  
Neither Seto nor Velma knew that Mokuba had awakened and overheard the conversation. "Be careful, big brother," the little boy whispered, his eyes shining. "I can't lose you too!"  
****  
Joey followed Vivalene down the deserted hall nervously. "So, uh, what exactly are we doin'?" he asked.  
  
Vivalene let the basement door creak open and clicked on a flashlight. "Come, darling," she purred, but then suddenly they both heard the sound of something falling over.  
  
"What the heck was that?!" Joey exclaimed.  
  
"It was probably another horrible ninja!" Vivalene replied, shuddering fearfully.  
  
Joey immediately stood tall and clenched his fists. "Don't you worry, Vifa!" he cried. "I'll get 'em!" He ran off in the direction of the sound.  
  
"A brave boy," Vivalene said to herself. "Brave, but foolish. Just perfect." A wicked smile crossed her face.  
****  
Seto muttered to himself as he fell over an end table and sprawled on the floor. He knew that hadn't been there before. Someone had put it there, probably to alert them if someone should come in—and that meant he very likely wasn't in here alone.  
  
"Alright, who wants a beatin'?!" a familiar voice yelled.   
  
Seto struggled to stand up. He'd recognize that voice anywhere. "Wheeler, what are you doing here?" he demanded, feeling for a light switch.  
  
Joey's hand came out of the darkness and grabbed the other boy's wrist. "I might ask you the same question!" he said hotly, finding the light switch and clicking it on himself. "Do you know what time it is?!"  
  
Seto didn't answer. "I'm assuming you're not here alone," he said darkly.  
  
"I'm helpin' Vifa!" Joey replied, shoving Seto backwards, "and I don't wanna hear any more of your lies about her! Her twin sister . . ."  
  
". . . Is dead," Seto finished, his eyes narrowed.  
  
Joey backed up. "What?!"  
  
"She died in a boating accident five years ago, Wheeler. It was all over the news." Seto stood up tall, facing the other boy defiantly. "She couldn't have hurt—killed—Marik Ishtar, because she was dead. And also because she was the good sister, the one who would never do something like that."  
  
Joey's eyes narrowed. "Whoa, whoa. Back up! Marik's not dead!" he cried, choosing to ignore Seto's other remarks for the moment.  
  
"He died tonight," Seto informed him, crossing his arms. "Your precious Vivalene murdered him."  
  
"No!" Joey yelled. "That's not true!! You're a liar, Kaiba!! Everything you just told me is a sick lie!!"  
  
Seto growled. "Prove it."  
  
Joey stood firm. "I will! I'll prove that Vifa's an angel, and that you're lyin' to get me away from her!"  
  
"Childish idiot," Seto muttered.  
  
"What? What did you just call me?!" Joey grabbed Seto and yanked the other boy forward viciously. "Maybe you'd like to settle this with fists, huh?! I'll do anything to protect the woman I love, and that includes not lettin' jerks like you tell lies about her!!"  
  
"She has you hypnotized, Joey," Seto replied angrily, prying the Brooklyn boy's hands away and holding them tightly so that he couldn't try any punching tricks. "If you don't come to your senses, you're going to wind up dead just like Marik!"  
  
"SHUT UP!!!" Joey thundered, wrenching himself free. "I've had it with you, Kaiba! Just get outta here before I do somethin' we'll both regret!" He shoved the other boy again and stormed off.  
  
"I regret what you've already done," Seto muttered in a voice so low only he could hear it. "But I will gladly get out of here once I retrieve my briefcase." He turned and disappeared down the corridor.  
****  
Joey, meanwhile, found Vivalene tapping on the basement wall, a look of concentration on her face. She looked up when Joey came in. "Oh, darling, was it a ninja?" she asked, shuddering at the thought.  
  
Joey shook his head. "Naw. Just Kaiba wanderin' around."  
  
Vivalene looked surprised. "Seto Kaiba is here in the middle of the night?"  
  
"Yeah, and I wish he wasn't." Joey slammed his fist into his palm angrily, then blinked at Vivalene. "Eh, what exactly are you doin', anyway?" he asked curiously.  
  
Vivalene smiled. "Help me, darling," she requested. "I just have to find the secret room."  
  
"What secret room?!" Joey asked in confusion.  
  
"The one leading to riches," Vivalene purred, running her finger down Joey's cheek. "I was running from a thief years ago and I hid them in here until I could return for them later. Unfortunately, that was so long ago that I can't quite remember where the secret panel is!"  
  
Joey also began tapping on the wall. "Hey, sure I'll help you," he said resolutely, even though he had a strange feeling about it.  
****  
Yugi was awakened out of a deep sleep by the sharp jangling of the telephone. "Huh?" he said softly, blinking. "What time is it?"  
  
"Much too early for the phone to ring," Yami Yugi replied from where he was looking out the window, his eyes narrowed.  
  
Quickly Yugi grabbed the receiver. "Hello?"  
  
"Um, Yugi?" It was Serenity, Joey's sister.  
  
Instantly Yugi perked up. "Serenity!" he gasped. "What is it? Is something wrong?"  
  
"Well . . ." The girl hesitated, sounding worried. "Well, I hate to bother you so late, but actually, I was hoping you could tell me where Joey is. I just got back into town and I know it's late and all, but Joey said to call him anytime, so I did . . . but he didn't answer." Serenity laughed weakly. "I know what a sound sleeper he is, so I decided just to go his house and surprise him—but when I got there, I found that Joey just wasn't around! It was like he'd just left in a big hurry or something."  
  
Yugi blinked. Where would Joey go? He must be with Vivalene somewhere, the boy decided. "Don't worry, Serenity," he said comfortingly. "We'll find your brother. I'll call the others and we'll all meet at Joey's place in thirty minutes, okay?"  
  
Serenity relaxed. "Thank you, Yugi," she said softly. "I just hope he's alright! I can't imagine where he'd go in the middle of the night!"  
  
Yugi sighed inwardly. How would he explain to Serenity about the dangerous character her brother was mixed up with?  
****  
Before long, everyone had gathered in front of Joey's empty house worriedly.  
  
"Hey, Serenity," Tristan said, coming over to the girl and laying a hand on her shoulder. "Are you doing okay?"  
  
Serenity smiled at him, but her hazel eyes were full of concern. "Hi, Tristan," she replied. "I'm okay, but I'm worried about Joey. Why would he go off in the middle of the night?!"  
  
"Maybe he thought Vivalene was in danger," Tea suggested softly.  
  
"Vivalene?" Serenity repeated, blinking.  
  
"Joey's girlfriend," Tristan explained, not able to keep the bitterness and disgust out of his voice.  
  
"Joey has a girlfriend?" Serenity exclaimed. "Why didn't he tell me?!"  
  
"I don't know," Yugi said slowly.  
  
The next few minutes were spent explaining to Serenity the events of the past couple of days, with everyone trying to soften the news of what had happened to Marik and why.  
  
"We're afraid that Joey may be in grave danger," Yugi finished solemnly.  
  
"We have to find him!" Serenity cried in determination.  
  
Everyone agreed.  
  
"We'll meet back here in two hours," Yugi directed as everyone split up.  
****  
Vivalene smirked triumphantly when she tapped a hollow-sounding part of wall and it swung open. "Yes," she purred, seeing the many jewels and gold. "At last, they are in in my grasp!"  
  
Joey stared as he watched the woman try on a bracelet and ring, and then begin gathering the items into her purse. "Vifa?" the boy asked slowly.  
  
"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Vivalene exclaimed, a wild, greed-filled flash in her emerald eyes.  
  
The uneasy feeling Joey had was getting more intense, but he nodded slowly. "Yeah, but not as beautiful as you," he said at last.  
  
"Hey, what's going on in there?" a gruff voice yelled, and a flashlight shone into the room.  
  
Before Joey could answer, Vivalene turned and headed for another door and pulled the boy with her. "Come on!" she ordered, her voice no longer dripping with sweetness.  
  
"Vifa, what's happening?!" Joey cried. "Wasn't that the night watchman?!"  
  
"Perhaps it was," Vivalene replied, running up one flight of stairs and then another.  
  
"But why are we running?" Joey demanded. "I thought you said that stuff was yours!"  
  
"Perhaps I lied," Vivalene purred. "Of course, it's the truth now."  
  
Joey felt his heart climb into his throat as they ran out onto the roof. "Vifa, you can't mean what you're sayin'!" he exclaimed. "You couldn't have stolen those things . . . could you?"  
  
"And why not?" Vivalene smirked at Joey, but before either of them could say more, the night watchman appeared.  
  
"What are you two doing?!" he demanded.  
  
"Taking what's rightfully mine," Vivalene replied fiercely. "And now, darling, you will take what fate has dealt you." She produced a revolver, and Joey felt frozen. What was Vivalene doing?!  
****  
Seto had just found his briefcase and was preparing to leave when the gunshot rang out through the building. The boy's head snapped up and he glared upward at the ceiling. "Joey, you moron!" he muttered. Was the Brooklyn boy . . . dead, shot down at the hands of the woman he loved?  
  
Quickly the young businessman turned and ran up the stairs toward the source of the deadly sound. When he emerged onto the roof moments later, he stopped short in horror.  
  
An unknown man was laying lifeless on the roof, apparently dead. Joey was standing to the side and seemed to be frozen to the spot, his brown eyes blank.  
  
Vivalene sneered at him and suddenly cried out, "Murderer! Murderer!" and pointed at Joey.  
  
Seto felt immensely disgusted and revolted. "Save it," he growled. "I know that Wheeler didn't do it."  
  
Vivalene paid him no heed. "He stole the jewels from the secret compartment in the old bank and then killed the watchman so there wouldn't be any witnesses!" she screamed.  
  
That snapped Joey out of his trance. He whirled on Vivalene, a wounded expression on his face. "You . . . you've been using me!" he said in disbelief. "All this time I've loved you, and you've just been playing with my emotions!" He stared at Vivalene's purse. "All you wanted were those rocks and that gold," he realized in horror. "You didn't care about me at all—you've just been planning how you'd set me up and frame me for your dastardly deeds!!!" He could hardly get the words out. This seemed so unreal! It couldn't be real; it must be a horrible nightmare! Vivalene wouldn't turn on him like this!  
  
And yet she had. The woman smiled, baring her gleaming white teeth. "You know, darling, perhaps you should have listened to your friends," she remarked.  
  
"You . . . you shot that guard just now," Joey continued in that same horrified, outraged, wounded tone. He paused, looking deeply into the eyes of the woman he had cared for. "And you . . . you *did* kill Marik, didn't you?" he said softly.  
  
"Oh, is he dead?" Vivalene said flippantly. "Well, it's been fun, darling, but I'm afraid you'll have to join him." She pointed the revolver at Joey's heart and pulled the trigger.  
  
Instantly Seto sprang out and jumped in front of the other boy. "I don't think so," he said firmly. "You're not going to kill him too, even if he did act moronic and desert his friends."  
  
The shot rang out and Seto staggered back, stunned. He saw the blood flowing over his shirt and flesh, but for a moment it didn't register that it was his. Then his eyes glazed over and he knew. Vivalene had shot him. 


	16. GuiltRidden

Joey stared in disbelief as Seto fell, bleeding, to the floor of the roof. "Kaiba!" he cried in horror.  
  
Now he realized that he'd been seeing everything warped. Vivalene—the one he had thought was so wonderful—had actually been lying to him this whole time, and wouldn't have any qualms about killing him now. And Seto Kaiba—the one Joey had thought was lying to him—had actually been telling him the truth, and now had just taken a bullet for him.  
  
The Brooklyn boy looked back up at Vivalene, who seemed to be momentarily startled that she had shot the wrong boy. "Vifa . . . you . . . you shot him!" Joey cried, his eyes wide. "You shot Kaiba!!"  
  
"Foolish boy," Vivalene sneered. "He only delayed the inevitable. Now I will kill you, as I originally meant to!" As she raised the gun again, police sirens were heard down below and the woman paused, irritation spreading across her face. If she tried to shoot Joey now, someone might see her. Better to make a hasty exit and come back later. "Think fast," she hissed, unleashing a smoke bomb. When the air cleared, she was gone.  
  
"Good riddance," Joey muttered, looking at the spot where she'd been only a moment before.   
  
He knelt next to Seto's still body, tears threatening to fall from his eyes. "Kaiba? . . . Hey man, you're . . . you're okay, aren't you?" he asked shakily, gaping in horror at the blood.  
  
Seto's eyes fluttered open. "Do I look okay?" he said dryly.  
  
Joey gently pulled the blue-eyed boy's body into his arms, trying to see how serious the wound was. "Kaiba . . . come on, man, you've gotta stay with me here!" he pleaded, fearing that the boy was losing strength fast.  
  
Seto's blue eyes were only half-open. "I thought I wasn't your friend," he remarked. "Why should you care if I . . ." He trailed off, the pain increasing.  
  
Joey swallowed hard. How could he really have said all those things? He'd hurt everyone who really cared about him, he realized now. "Kaiba, you . . . you saved my life," he said softly. "Even after everything I'd said and done, you were still willing to rescue me! Only a true friend would do what you did." A tear slipped down his cheek. "You may be aloof and everything, but you're okay by me!"  
  
Seto felt himself growing weaker. "Maybe . . . maybe next time you'll listen to me. If . . . if there is a next time. . . ." His eyes started to close.  
  
Joey was horrified. "Hey, come on, Kaiba! You . . . you can't leave!" He grabbed the other boy's shoulder forcefully. "Kaiba, if you . . . die, I'll never forgive myself! It'll be my fault!!"  
  
Seto grunted. "Blame yourself for . . . for your stupidity in this whole matter, Joey, but don't blame yourself for . . ." He groaned. ". . . for my death," he finished. The boy paused, gathering what was left of his strength. "Look, Wheeler . . . I'm gonna try to hang on, but . . . in case I don't make it . . ."  
  
"Shut up, Kaiba," Joey said shakily. "You can't talk like that! Everything's gonna be okay! You're gonna get better, and Vivalene's gonna get caught, and . . ."  
  
Seto shook his head weakly. "Joey . . . tell Mokuba I love him," he said softly as his eyes drifted shut and his body fell limp.  
  
Joey couldn't believe it. "Kaiba!! Come on, man, you can't just die on me!!!" Now his tears fell freely. "Oh man . . . it's my fault. It's all my fault!!" the blonde boy cried. "He . . . he wouldn't be dead if it wasn't for me! I . . . I killed him! I killed him!" Seto's blood flowed over Joey's hands, leaving them stained red.  
  
****  
  
The others, in the meantime, were trying to figure out where Joey might be. If he was with Vivalene, they knew that he could have gone to the KETY studios.  
  
"I'm going to check there," Tea said to herself resolutely.  
  
Yugi and his Yami had the same idea. They, too, were heading for KETY, but they never got there.  
  
A dark van pulled up in front of them, its headlights shining fiercely on them. "You two. Get in," a menacing voice growled.  
  
"I'll handle this, Yugi," Yami Yugi said firmly, and faced the van defiantly. "What do you want with us?" the ancient Pharaoh demanded.  
  
A revolver was shoved out the tinted window at him. "Get in the van or your friends will pay," the voice replied.  
  
"Our friends?!" Yugi cried, stepping forward. "What have you done to them?!"  
  
The man's grip on the weapon never wavered. "If you don't come with me, you'll soon find out," he threatened.  
  
"We will not go with you without knowing what we are getting into," Yami Yugi said sternly, "nor will we allow ourselves or our friends to be hostages to be bartered!"  
  
A deep-throated laugh came from inside the van. "You're brave to stand up to me like that," the man remarked. "Now get in, or your brother gets it." He pointed the gun at Yugi threateningly.  
  
"I don't think so. Mind crush!" Yami Yugi screamed, and the Millennium Puzzle glowed brightly. With a cry of confusion and pain, the man dropped the gun and slumped unconscious over the steering wheel.  
  
Yugi breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close," he declared. "But what would he have wanted with us?!"  
  
Yami Yugi approached the van and looked inside. The man was alone . . . or so he appeared to be.  
  
Suddenly the back doors flew open and they were surrounded by half a dozen ninjas, each holding a deadly weapon.  
  
Yugi gasped, his violet eyes wide. Yami Yugi's eyes narrowed and he prepared to fight, but he had the sinking feeling that this time they wouldn't win.  
  
****  
  
Yami Bakura watched Bakura sleep. The foolish boy was understandably exhausted after everything that had happened to him and he needed desperately to just rest.  
  
The telephone had rang a while ago and Yami Bakura had answered it—unwillingly, of course, but he hadn't wanted the noise to continue and wake Bakura up. It had been Yugi, calling because that ridiculous Brooklyn boy was missing. Yami Bakura said that he would give Bakura the message, but he didn't actually intend to. If Bakura heard about what was happening, he would undoubtedly want to go join in the search, and he was much too weak for any nonsense like that.  
  
"Absurd mortal," the tomb raider muttered now, pulling the quilt over Bakura's sleeping form. "You're going to catch a cold. How can I use you to help me take over the world if you're ill all the time?" He was actually quite fond of the boy—not that he would ever admit it to anyone. Bakura was the first person in centuries who had shown kindness to the old thief, and that had definitely not gone unnoticed by him. Now he felt protective of the boy, and he wouldn't let any harm come to him if he could possibly prevent it.  
  
****  
  
Joey was still kneeling on the roof, Seto's body in his arms. By now he had figured out that the police cars had not been coming to the KETY building after all, but what did that matter now? Vivalene was gone again. That viper had killed three people tonight. And if it wasn't for Seto, Joey might well have been among them.  
  
"Joey! Joey!!"  
  
The boy looked up as the door to the roof flew open and Tea burst through. The girl stopped short in alarm at the sight before her—the night watchman laying on the floor and Seto's lifeless, bloody body in Joey's arms.  
  
"He's dead." Joey stood up slowly as Tea rushed to Seto's side in disbelief. "They're both dead. Vivalene wounded them, but I'm just as guilty."  
  
Tea pulled Seto's limp form into her arms and unbuttoned his shirt, pressing her scarf against the deep injury in his chest and at the same time feeling for any possible life signs. "Don't say that, Joey!" she protested.  
  
"Face it, Tea. It's true." Joey clenched his fists, tears flooding his eyes. "You've all been telling me how evil that woman is, but nooo, I just wouldn't have any of it. I pushed all my friends away, thinkin' that you guys just didn't know what you were talking about. I even decided that maybe some of you, like Tristan and Marik, were making things up because they were jealous and wanted Vivalene for themselves." He shook his head. "How could I have thought some dumb thing like that?! I've betrayed everyone who really cares about me!!" he cried.  
  
"Joey, Vivalene used you," Tea said quietly, tears in her own eyes. "You can't blame yourself for everything. If you had ever thought that anyone would actually get hurt, you never would've continued going with her." Now she held Seto's body close to hers, feeling as though her heart would break.  
  
You're not indestructible, you know.  
  
Had it really been only a couple of days ago when she had said that to Seto after he had been stabbed? So much had happened since then. It felt more like a couple of years instead of just days. And she had seen him only a few hours before. How could he possibly be . . .  
  
"That's just it, Tea!" Joey screamed now, startling her out of her confused reverie. "I was blind!!" He turned to look at the early morning sky. "Marik's dead. Kaiba's dead. All because I was too bone-headed to listen to them." He paused. "Tea, I even told Kaiba that he wasn't any friend of mine. But you know somethin'? He took a bullet for me, even after the rotten way I'd acted." Joey looked down, tears falling from his eyes. "He may not have always shown it, but he was every bit as good a friend as you and Yugi and Tristan and Bakura are," he said softly. "And now he's dead!! Dead because I wouldn't listen when he and you and everyone tried to warn me about Vivalene! She poisoned my mind! Now I can see that she was purposely tryin' to turn me against my friends—but I didn't see until now, and now it's too late!" He knew there was only one way he could try to make things right—he had to stop Vivalene himself before anyone else died at her hands.  
  
Tea was startled when Joey suddenly turned and leaped to the next building over. "Joey, what are you doing?!" she shrieked.  
  
"I can't let Vivalene keep doing stuff like this!" Joey called back. "I'm gonna stop her!! I have to avenge my fallen friends," he added softly.  
  
"Joey, you can't!!" Tea screamed. "It's too dangerous!!" And what was more, she had discovered something while tending to Seto's chest wound just now—the boy's heart was still beating. He was still alive.  
  
She tried to call out again. "Joey! Kaiba's not . . ." She knew the Brooklyn boy was too far away to hear her now. "Kaiba's not dead," she whispered, feeling the wounded boy shudder in her arms.  
  
****  
  
Unfortunately, it didn't appear as though the same could be said for Marik. The doctor had disconnected the heart monitor and told Ishizu and Rishid to say their goodbyes.  
  
"He is gone," Rishid said sadly. "Our brother is gone."  
  
Ishizu stood still, her blue eyes filled with tears. "She murdered him," she said in a dangerous, low tone. "She took his life away in cold blood."  
  
"She will pay for her crimes," Rishid vowed, clenching his fist tightly and wanting to be the one to make her pay.  
  
Ishizu leaned over and kissed Marik on the cheek. "Goodbye, dear brother," she said softly. "Goodbye."  
  
Suddenly, unbelievably, the boy stirred.  
  
"Marik?" Ishizu whispered in disbelief.  
  
Rishid perked up, his eyes wide. Was it possible?  
  
Marik's eyes fluttered open and he smiled up at them peacefully.  
  
"Master Marik!" Rishid cried, his eyes brightening.  
  
"Oh Marik! You have returned!" Ishizu embraced her brother warmly, and then he weakly hugged her back, motioning for Rishid to come over as well, which he did.  
  
"I never left," Marik said softly, embracing those he loved so dearly.  
  
****  
  
Joey was exhausted. He felt as though he'd ran all over the city, but he knew he couldn't stop now. Vivalene had to be caught, especially after what she'd done to Marik and Seto.  
  
As he surveyed the sights below him from up on another rooftop, he suddenly saw something alarming—Tristan and Serenity were being herded into the back of a van by what looked like a female ninja! "Vivalene?" the boy muttered, his eyes narrowed. The woman's dirty work was continuing. Joey knew he had to follow them. Vivalene had killed three people tonight, and he wouldn't allow her to take any more lives.  
  
****  
  
Yami Bakura looked up at the sound of the door opening, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. He had locked the door. No one should be able to gain entry into the home, unless they had somehow picked the lock. And that meant that they most likely were not welcome.  
  
Cautiously the thief left the bedroom, where he had still been standing guard over Bakura, and crept into the hall. He could hear footsteps downstairs and hid in the shadows, waiting until he saw the person walk past. Without a sound, Yami Bakura sprang forward and tackled the intruder, bringing them both to the floor.  
  
"What the . . .!" the man cried in astonishment. "Bakura, is that you?!"  
  
Yami Bakura pinned the man down viciously, choosing to ignore that remark for the moment. "Explain your presence here, mortal, or the consequences will be grave!"  
  
The man stared. "You're not Bakura!" he declared.  
  
"Of course I am not," Yami Bakura grumped, then paused. "But how do you know him?!"  
  
The man wrestled himself free and pointed to a picture on the wall. "I'm his father," he responded firmly. 


	17. Capture

Notes: To Angel Reaper in reply to your query---I included him 'cause I wanted to see what would happen if he met Yami Bakura ^_^  
  
  
  
Yami Bakura just stared. "His father?!" he repeated incredulously.  
  
"That's right," the man nodded firmly. "But who are you and why do you look so much like my son?!"  
  
Yami Bakura smirked, crossing his arms. "I am his ancient ancestor from Egypt, and I would advise you not to get on my bad side!"  
  
Bakura's father stared at him for a long moment, seemingly unruffled. "Alright, I can deal with that for now. Where's my son?" He, of course, didn't really believe what Yami Bakura had just told him, but he was more interested in seeing Bakura at the moment.  
  
"Asleep," Yami Bakura grunted. "And he needs the rest."  
  
The man nodded. "It is late," he agreed, "but I can't stay long. I'm leaving for South America in a few days."  
  
"Fool," Yami Bakura muttered, turning away. He didn't have a very high opinion of Bakura's father—always running off on trips the way he did and leaving Bakura home alone—at least, alone as far as the man knew . . . until tonight.  
  
The bedroom door upstairs opened and a sleepy-looking Bakura appeared. "What's happening, Yami?" he asked, but then gasped. "Father?!" he cried.  
  
Bakura's father smiled. "Yes, son. I'm here for a few days." He held his arms open and Bakura rushed into them.  
  
"I've missed you, Father," the boy said softly.  
  
"And I've missed you, too, Bakura," his father replied.  
****  
Tea paced the hospital floor, her blue eyes worried and sad. She dreaded what she was about to do now, but she knew it had to be done.  
  
Carefully she picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Mokuba?" she said when she heard his innocent, worried voice. How would she ever do this?  
  
Mokuba's heart sank when he heard Tea on the line. She wouldn't call in the middle of the night unless something was horribly wrong. "My brother's hurt, isn't he?" he said quaveringly.  
  
Tea's eyes filled with tears. "I'm afraid so," she said softly. "He was protecting Joey from Vivalene and . . ."  
  
"Is he gonna be okay?" Mokuba interrupted pleadingly.  
  
Tea bit her lip. "I'm sure he will be," she said comfortingly.  
  
Mokuba vowed that he would be there in a few minutes and they hung up.  
  
Shakily Tea looked around, knowing she needed to find the doctor. Seto had been brought in a while before and was being treated now. She prayed desperately that he would live.  
  
The door opened and the doctor came in. Quickly Tea rushed over to him and he looked down at her. "You're Mr. Kaiba's friend, aren't you?" he asked.  
  
Tea hesitated for a brief moment, but of course Seto was her friend. "Yes," she said firmly. "Please tell me—how is he?"  
  
The doctor smiled tiredly. "He's hanging in there. The bullet didn't pierce anything vital, so that's something in his favor." He led her down the hall and into a room. "He lost a lot of blood, but he's a fighter. I think he'll survive."  
  
Tea stared at Seto's unconscious body. "Does he need a transfusion?" she asked softly.  
  
The doctor paused. "He might," he admitted at last and left the room.  
  
Slowly Tea walked over and took her friend's hand. "Oh Kaiba," she said quietly, "you saved Joey's life!" Gently she pulled the blanket over Seto's bare chest, seeing how cold the boy looked. "You were so brave. . . ." She brushed his long bangs aside. "I was afraid I would lose you tonight," she told him slowly. Tea felt a bit strange admitting that, but it was true. She felt the boy's fingers move ever so slightly and she knew he was aware of her presence.  
  
The door opened and Mokuba rushed in, tears flying from his gray eyes. "The doctor said that Seto was shot!" he cried, running over to the bed and embracing the older boy gently. "Big brother!!" he wailed, and Tea's heart broke.  
  
"He's going to be alright, Mokuba," she said softly.  
  
Mokuba clung to his brother's body and then looked up at Tea, his eyes sad. "Does he even know we're here?" he whispered tragically.  
  
Tea nodded, her voice cracking. "Yes, Mokuba. He knows," she assured him. "He knows."  
****  
The van stopped and Serenity turned to look at Tristan, her eyes wide and frightened.  
  
Tristan tried to smile reassuringly, even though he, too, felt apprehensive. "Hey, don't worry, Serenity. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you!"  
  
Serenity smiled back weakly. "Oh, I'm not worried about myself," she said softly. "I'm worried about you and Yugi and Tea . . . and my brother," she finished, looking down.  
  
The door opened and the female ninja smirked at them through her mask. "Come now," she purred, and Tristan knew it was Vivalene. The woman held up a weapon threateningly.  
  
"And what if we refuse?" Tristan snapped.  
  
"Now, darling, we've already been through that," Vivalene replied and grabbed Serenity viciously, causing the girl to cry out.  
  
Up on a roof high above them, Joey's angers boiled over. He was just about to leap down and attack when Tristan clenched his fists and said, "I won't let you hurt her!" The hazel-eyed boy knew that he would have to go along with Vivalene's plans for now to keep Serenity safe, and so he and Joey's sister were herded out of the van and into the warehouse Joey was standing on.  
  
"Just you wait, Vivalene," Joey vowed as he watched through a skylight. "You're gonna pay for all the lives you destroyed tonight. I'm not gonna let you take any more."  
  
Down below, Tristan watched as Vivalene circled around him and Serenity. "What do you want with us, Vivalene?" he demanded. "And what did you do to Joey?!"  
  
Serenity gasped. This was Joey's girlfriend, the one she had been told was so treacherous?! "Did you hurt my brother?!" she screamed.  
  
Vivalene shrugged, seemingly unfazed, and pulled her mask off. "You kids are interfering with my plans. I'm tired of it." She glared at them.  
  
"Well, maybe if you had stayed out of Joey's life, we would've stayed out of yours," Tristan retorted. "We weren't gonna just stand by and let you hurt him like you've probably hurt countless others!"  
  
"Where is my brother?!" Serenity demanded.  
  
"Not to worry, dear," Vivalene told her. "Your foolish brother is still among the living—thanks to one of his other friends."  
  
"What do you mean?" Tristan's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Joey's friend gave his life to save him," Vivalene replied in irritation, thinking of how Seto Kaiba had screwed up her plans.  
  
Tristan and Serenity exchanged horrified looks. Someone else was dead because of Vivalene?!  
  
"You killed our friend and tried to kill my brother?!" Serenity shrieked in outrage.  
  
Vivalene shrugged flippantly.  
  
Joey, still listening in, could barely stop himself from yelling at and attacking the woman right then and there. She was speaking as nonchalantly as if she was telling about the weather—but Seto was dead because of what she'd done! The only thing stopping him from confronting the evil woman now was that he didn't want to put Tristan and Serenity in any further danger. Somehow he had to figure out how to get Vivalene away from them.  
****  
Yami Yugi faced the ninjas determinedly, refusing to back down. "What is it you want?" he demanded.  
  
The ninjas didn't answer. Instead the one in the lead raised his weapon at Yugi, and the boy ducked just in time to avoid being struck.  
  
Yami Yugi grabbed the ninja's arm and restrained him from trying that again. "Do not harm this boy in any way or you will regret this meeting for the rest of your lives," he warned.  
  
"You will both come with us, then," the ninja hissed.  
  
"Let's go with them, Yami," Yugi said quietly. "I have a feeling that maybe we should."  
  
Yami Yugi looked at him for a while, then slowly nodded. "Alright, Yugi," he agreed at last. "I trust your judgment."  
  
With that the ninjas herded them into the back of the van and shoved their unconscious driver into the passenger side. The lead ninja then got into the driver's seat and they took off.  
****  
"Bakura," said the boy's father as they sat on the couch, "tell me about your friend."  
  
"I am not his friend," Yami Bakura retorted.  
  
Bakura felt a bit uneasy. "How much did he tell you, Father?" he asked cautiously.  
  
"Just some nonsense about him being your ancient ancestor from Egypt," the man replied, shaking his head.  
  
"Well, he is from Egypt," Bakura said slowly. "And perhaps we are related in some way," he added guardedly.  
  
Bakura's father sighed. "I've been away for much too long," he said regretfully. "You've changed so much. . . ."  
  
"Do you really have to go away again?" Bakura asked sadly.  
  
"I have a lot of work to do, Bakura," his father replied. "Besides, you seem to be getting along fine."  
  
"But I miss you, Father," Bakura said forlornly, even though he knew it wasn't likely to change anything. He had had this conversation with his father many times in the past—more times than he could count or even cared to remember.  
  
Much as Bakura had expected, his father said only, "I have to go, Bakura," and then looked away.  
  
Yami Bakura wasn't impressed. "You do not have to go," he remarked. "But you seem to find your work more important than your son." He, of course, didn't especially want Bakura's dad to be around all the time and eventually find out what the thief really was—but still the man's attitude greatly annoyed and angered him.  
  
Bakura's father stared at Yami Bakura, shocked by what he had just heard. "How dare you speak to me that way, young man?!" he thundered.  
  
Bakura watched worriedly. He had known that if these two ever met, there would likely be a big confrontation—and now it was happening.  
  
Yami Bakura fumed. "'Young man'?!" he cried indignantly. "Obviously you do not know to whom you are addressing! I am your senior by centuries, even millennia!"  
  
Bakura's father was aghast by what he naturally assumed to be a display of absurd crazy talk. "Bakura, where on earth did you find this person?!" he demanded.  
  
Bakura scratched his cheek. "Uh, well . . . actually," he had to admit meekly, "he was in that Ring you gave me."  
****  
Tea watched Seto worriedly. She and Mokuba hadn't left the teenage boy's side since the doctor had let them into the room, and that must have been hours ago by now, she thought to herself sadly.  
  
Mokuba had climbed onto the bed with his brother and was hugging him gently when the older boy stirred. "Big brother?" Mokuba said hopefully, looking up.  
  
Tea perked up as well. "Kaiba?" she whispered, leaning over.  
  
Seto's eyes opened and he looked at her blankly for a moment before seeing Mokuba and smiling at him. "Hey kid," he said softly.  
  
Mokuba's eyes lighted up. "Seto!!" he cried happily, embracing his brother again.  
  
Seto held him close and stroked the younger boy's long hair. "Where am I?" he asked now.  
  
"You're in the hospital, big brother!" Mokuba replied with a shudder.  
  
"You were shot in the chest," Tea added softly, breathing a prayer of thanks that he was awake.  
  
Seto grunted. "I remember that," he said, seeming to recognize Tea now. He looked down at Mokuba and began speaking to him quietly. Tea couldn't hear what was being said, but she decided that that was just as well anyway, since it was probably a private conversation.  
  
Now Seto looked up at her again. "Where's Wheeler?" he wanted to know.  
  
Tea looked worried. How would she explain?  
  
As it turned out, she didn't have to. "He went after that witch, didn't he?" Seto continued, a knowing look in his eyes.  
  
Tea blinked. "I'm afraid he did," she said softly. "He . . . he thought you were dead, and . . ."  
  
"He still blamed himself," Seto deduced with a sigh.  
  
Mokuba was horrified. He hadn't heard the details of what had gone on, but now he was starting to get an image in his mind of what had happened. "Seto, were you shot by that awful Vivalene?!" he cried.  
  
Seto turned to look at him again. "I was," he admitted, "but don't worry kid—I'm going to be fine." He smiled tenderly at the younger boy and Mokuba looked relieved.  
  
A soft knock came at the door and the three young people exchanged looks. Who would be knocking? A doctor or a nurse would probably just barge right in, especially if they thought Seto was still unconscious. "Come in," Seto said at last, his eyes narrowed in confusion.  
  
The door opened and Ishizu stood there, a soft smile on her face. "Ah, Seto Kaiba. You are awake," she remarked and nodded a greeting to Mokuba and Tea.  
  
The others were surprised at how calm the Egyptian woman looked. Her brother had died; how could she mask her emotions like this?  
  
"Ishizu," Seto said slowly. "I wasn't expecting you."  
  
"Because of Marik?" Ishizu's eyes were shining. "That is right, you do not know," she said softly.  
  
"Know what?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"He is alive!" Ishizu replied joyously.  
  
Mokuba's eyes widened. "He is?!"  
  
Ishizu nodded, her smile deepening. "Yes, he is," she told him.  
  
"That's wonderful!" Tea exclaimed.  
  
Seto leaned back into the pillows, his face mostly expressionless, but with a hint of a smile. "I'm glad to hear it," was all he said.  
  
Ishizu lingered for a moment longer but soon left after promising to take a message to Marik from Mokuba. Seto, exhausted from the whole experience with Vivalene, soon fell asleep holding his brother.  
  
Tea watched him for a moment and then turned to look out the window worriedly. Where was Joey? And for that matter, where were the others?! Had Vivalene captured them, too? She had the uneasy feeling that things weren't over yet and said a silent prayer for the others' safety. 


	18. Vengeful

Eventually the van stopped, sending both Yugi and his Yami pitching forward.  
  
"Where are we?" Yugi gasped.  
  
Yami Yugi looked out the window grimly. "We're at KETY," he said in surprise.  
  
Yugi was startled. "Why would they bring us here?!"  
  
"Perhaps it has something to do with that treasure Lila Palmer was after," Yami Yugi suggested.  
  
The door opened and the ninjas yanked them outside. "Now . . . you will come and assist us in retrieving the stolen jewels," the leader hissed.  
  
"We can't help you steal!" Yugi cried indignantly as both he and Yami Yugi were dragged into the building and thrown viciously onto the floor of the lobby.  
  
"We don't need your help collecting the treasures," one of the other ninjas replied. "Just direct us to where they are . . . if you don't want anyone to be hurt."  
  
"I've heard enough!" Yami Yugi cried, merging with Yugi in a glow of light. "Who are you working for?"  
  
"They work for me," Lila's dark voice replied, and the woman stepped out of the shadows.  
  
"You!" Yugi cried, his eyes narrowing. "But I don't understand. You were arrested!"  
  
Lila sneered. "Fortunately for me, my associates were able to . . . secure my release." The way she said it let Yugi know that she had not been freed legally. "I won't let anything stand in my way! Not my brother, not you, and not jail time!"  
  
"Those jewels do not belong to you," Yugi said sternly. "Look at yourself, Lila—you've been overcome by greed! You could have seriously injured those around you with your outrageous stunts!" He paused, looking deeply into her eyes. "Won't you reconsider what you are doing before something terrible happens?"  
  
"If you do what I want, no one will get hurt," Lila told him. "Someone stole the blueprints before I had a chance to, so I don't know where the secret panel is supposed to be. You will help me find it."  
  
Yugi stepped back, confused. "You do not mean to say that you think I was the one who stole the blueprints?"  
  
Lila shrugged. "I have no idea. But I know you have magic powers. There must be a way you could track down the panel."  
  
"I could," Yugi replied evenly, "but I would never help you on your quest for power and riches."  
  
"We'll just see." Lila made a gesture and one of the ninjas grabbed Yugi and forced him down the stairs. Lila and her other lackeys quickly followed after, but they soon found that they were not alone.  
  
"Oh hello, sister," a new voice said nonchalantly. The lights clicked on and everyone looked up.  
  
"JP Palmer!" Yugi cried in disbelief.  
****  
Vivalene moved closer to Tristan, her emerald eyes flashing wickedly. "You know," she purred, "I always make it a point to eliminate those who are in my way."  
  
"And I suppose we fit into that category," Tristan replied steely-eyed.  
  
"Only too much," Vivalene told him, raising a knife to Serenity's throat.  
  
That was it. Joey couldn't stand by and watch any longer. With a strangled war cry, he crashed through the skylight and tackled the evil woman, bringing her to the floor.  
  
"Joey!" Serenity cried in delight.  
  
"This is the last straw," Joey growled at Vivalene as he pinned her to the floor. "You've played with my affections. You've killed two of my friends. Now that I know the truth about you, there's no way I'm gonna let you keep running free!"  
  
Vivalene looked unruffled. "You wouldn't kill me, darling. You know you wouldn't." With ease she flipped the boy over and held the knife to his throat. "You once loved me. You would never bring yourself to get rid of me, even if you had the perfect opportunity. But unfortunately, darling . . ." She brought the knife closer. ". . . I have no qualms about ridding myself of you."  
  
"Let him go!!" Serenity screamed, and she and Tristan both grabbed the woman and tried to restrain her arm.  
  
Vivalene growled and violently kicked Serenity backward against the wall.  
  
"Serenity!!" Joey and Tristan both cried out at once, and then Joey sprang up and grabbed Vivalene's arms viciously. The woman struggled, but Tristan pulled the knife out of her hand before she could stop it.  
  
"Not so tough now, are you?" Joey remarked, then looked over her shoulder. "Serenity! Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.  
  
To his relief, his sister stood up and smiled at him. She was fine.  
  
Vivalene still was unfazed. "Neither of you will lay a finger on me," she said dangerously, and suddenly Serenity was grabbed by two burly men and held fast.  
  
"Joey!!" the girl screamed, a terrified look in her hazel eyes.  
  
"I always have a backup plan," Vivalene purred. "Unhand me and your sister won't get hurt."  
  
Tristan was outraged. "Why you devilish . . ."  
  
Joey was torn. He doubted Vivalene would actually keep her end of such a bargain, but how could he risk his sister's life? His argument was between him and Vivalene alone. Tristan and Serenity shouldn't be involved.  
  
"However," Vivalene continued, breaking into his thoughts, "if you do not set me free, your sister will have a more grisly fate than Marik Ishtar or Seto Kaiba did."  
  
Joey couldn't stand it. "No!" he cried, releasing Vivalene from his grasp.  
  
"Joey, she won't let Serenity go!" Tristan yelled, frantically trying to restrain Vivalene by himself. The woman viciously kicked him in the stomach and he gasped.  
  
"You don't trust me? Oh, darling, I'm crushed!" Vivalene commented, then turned to her henchmen. "Get rid of them!" she cried, heading for a nearby staircase and ascending it. "Get rid of them all!"  
****  
Both Yugi and Lila were shocked to see JP standing in the basement, apparently expecting them.  
  
"Where did you come from?!" Lila screamed.  
  
JP shrugged. "Here, there, everywhere. But the jewels aren't here, Lila. Someone's beat you to them."  
  
"What?!" Lila screamed. "You're lying!!" Overcome with rage, she grabbed her brother and shoved him against the wall. "You took them, didn't you?!"  
  
"Don't be silly," JP replied nonchalantly. "What would I want with stolen items? I'm not stupid like you, Lila."  
  
Lila shoved him aside and marched over to one of the walls. Tapping on it fiercely, the panel swung open, revealing police officers inside.  
  
"Lila Palmer, you're under arrest," one of them said sternly.  
  
Lila's shoulders slumped and she held out her wrists for the handcuffs. "You've outsmarted me again, JP," she sighed in defeat, but then sneered. "But this victory won't last you long!"  
  
"We'll see," JP responded evenly.  
  
Yugi watched as more officers appeared and began arresting Lila's ninjas and then turned to face JP. "How did you get here?" he demanded.  
  
JP shrugged. "I've been laying low for a while. When I heard that Lila had broken out of jail, I knew exactly what she would try to do—so I told the police and brought them here to wait for her."  
  
Yugi smiled. "You are clever." Now he looked worried and prayed that the others were alright.  
  
The door opened and Bruce came in, horrified as he watched the police march the ninjas and Lila outside. "What's happened here?!" he screamed.  
  
"The police and JP can explain things," Yugi replied, heading for the door himself. He sensed that he need to get to a certain warehouse—and fast.  
****  
"Oh man . . ." Joey glared as several more of Vivalene's lackeys emerged from the shadows and began to surround him and Tristan.  
  
"Joey!" Serenity called as she struggled with the men holding her captive. "I know you'll come through, big brother!"  
  
Tristan exchanged a look with Joey. "We can take 'em, right?" Tristan said.  
  
Joey grinned, giving a thumbs-up to his friend and to his sister. "Of course we can!" he cried, cracking his knuckles. With a yell, he punched one of them hard in the chest and then screamed in pain as the blow affected him more than his opponent.  
  
Joey, you moron. You'll never win that way!  
  
The Brooklyn boy blinked, hearing Seto's voice in his mind. He knew the other boy was right. "Your sacrifice won't be in vain, Kaiba," he vowed and whirled around to wrench the man's arm painfully.  
  
"Get him, Joey!" Serenity cried, kicking her attackers in their shins and making them loosen their grip on her.  
  
Now Joey grabbed the man's other arm and squeezed the pressure point. With a cry of pain, the man fell back and slumped against the wall.  
  
Tristan, meanwhile, was besting his opponent as well. "I've got things covered here," he told Joey, who nodded determinedly.  
  
"Then I'm going after Vivalene!" the blonde boy cried, running to the stairs up which Vivalene had disappeared.  
  
"Don't do it, Joey!" Tristan yelled. "You'd just be setting yourself up for a fall!"  
  
"I have to go!!" Joey growled. "She's hurt so many people! She killed Marik when he tried to warn me about her. She killed Kaiba when he tried to save my life. I can't let her treachery continue!!" He began leaping up the stairs two at a time.  
  
Serenity looked up at him and smiled. "I know you can do it, Joey!" she said softly. "But please don't let your emotions get the better of you!"  
  
Joey barely heard her as he ran onto the roof. Vivalene would pay!  
****  
Bakura's father was speechless at Bakura's announcement. "What?!" the man cried. "You mean to tell me that your friend is a powerful spirit living in that Millennium Ring?!"  
  
Bakura nodded meekly. "Yes, Father."  
  
"That's impossible!!" Bakura's father yelled.  
  
"I'm afraid not, sir," Bakura replied slowly.  
  
Yami Bakura sneered. "You doubt my powers? Perhaps we shall have to . . . correct that."  
  
"Oh, Yami, please don't!" Bakura exclaimed in horror, leaping to his feet.  
  
Bakura's father didn't look impressed. "I'm not in the mood for jokes, Bakura," he said sternly. "This is a side of you I've never seen before."  
  
Bakura looked crushed. "Father, I'm not lying," he said sadly. "I could never lie to you!"  
  
Yami Bakura grunted, pulling out the Ring. "You obviously have been away for a long time if you think Bakura has changed that much. He speaks the truth. I have never heard the fool lie to anyone." The Ring began to glow.  
  
"Yami, what are you doing?!" Bakura shrieked, running over to grab at the Ring.  
  
"You absurd mortal," Yami Bakura remarked. "I will not harm him, even though I might wish to." He would leave the man alone for two reasons—first because he was Bakura's father. And second, because he hadn't done anything that provoked the tomb robber enough to want to attack.  
  
Bakura's father just watched this exchange—and the glowing Ring—in utter disbelief. This was all too strange to comprehend.  
****  
Joey looked around wildly as the wind whipped his hair in all directions. There was no one else on the roof that he could see, and there was a sharp drop into a dark chasm off the edge. Vivalene couldn't have gone anywhere—she would have to still be on the roof.  
  
Suddenly something cold and hard poked into his back. "I knew you'd come up here, darling," Vivalene's voice hissed. "Your hatred of me has brought you."  
  
Joey whirled around and grabbed the gun, restraining Vivalene from shooting it. "You're pure evil," he growled. "Man, how I could have ever gotten involved with someone like you? How could I have ever mistaken you for an angel?" He moved closer. "You're a devil, Vivalene."  
  
"Oh, you cut me to the core," Vivalene taunted, trying to wrench the gun free. It went off, shooting a bullet into the air. "You pierce my very heart straight through!"  
  
"You don't have a heart!" Joey screamed as they struggled. "You killed my friends without a shred of remorse!!"  
  
A huge gust of wind came up and blew Vivalene's long red hair into her eyes, causing a momentary lapse of concentration on her part. Joey took the opportunity to pull the gun away viciously, which in turn startled Vivalene so that she fell to the floor of the roof.  
  
Joey stood over her, a wild look in his eyes. "Now I have you right where I want you," he said dangerously. "I cared about you, Vivalene! I trusted you even more than I trusted my friends! You told me they were all liars—but the worst part is, I believed you!! You turned me against them all, and then you murdered them!!" He held the gun steady as he advanced on her. "You killed Marik and Kaiba in cold blood. You deserve nothing short of a painful death for all the messed up things you've done!"  
  
Vivalene was unconcerned. "Are you going to inflict it on me, Joseph? Do you actually have the guts to pull the trigger?" She was certain he couldn't do it.  
  
Now Joey's hand began to shake. "Of course I do," he said in a deadly tone.  
  
"Then prove it!" Vivalene taunted, and Joey's hand steadied again.  
  
"Joey!! Don't do it!!"  
  
Joey paused, looking over the edge of the building. Yugi, Tristan, and Serenity were standing below, watching him worriedly.  
  
"This isn't the solution, buddy!" Tristan yelled.  
  
"Killing her won't bring Kaiba and Marik back!" Yugi added, his violet eyes wide.  
  
Joey hesitated. They were right, of course, but Vivalene was evil. If she were to run free, how many more people would die? How many more hearts would be broken?  
  
Tears coursed down his cheeks. "She deserves to die!" he cried. "She shouldn't be allowed to keep destroying people's lives!!"  
  
"Joey!" Serenity called now. "She may very well deserve death, but should you be the one to hand it to her? We can't give life, Joey, and it's not our place to take it away, no matter how awful the person is!"  
  
Joey knew she was right, of course. He couldn't take vengeance for his friends. It just wasn't in his nature to kill anyone, even if they were vile and wicked such as Vivalene. The gun dropped from his hand with a resounding clunk.  
  
Slowly Vivalene stood up, a smirk on her face. "I knew you couldn't go through with it," she purred, pulling out another gun. "You're just too soft-hearted!"  
  
"Joey!!!" the other teens all screamed at once.  
  
Before Vivalene could fire, Joey sprang forward and grabbed her fiercely. As they struggled, the gun suddenly went off and Vivalene fell back, a shocked look on her face. With a scream, she tumbled off the roof and into the dark chasm below. 


	19. Surprises and Apologies

Joey watched in disbelief as the evil woman disappeared from sight, his emotions mixed. He had loved that woman once—only a few hours before, in fact—but she had betrayed him, tried to kill him, and had killed two of his friends. He couldn't love her any more, but he was glad it hadn't been his bullet that had killed her.  
  
"Joey?"   
  
He felt a soft touch on his shoulder and turned to see Serenity there. "Oh sis . . ." His emotions spilled over and he embraced the younger girl tightly. "I've screwed up so bad . . ."  
  
"Shhh. . . . It's alright, Joey," Serenity whispered softly as Yugi and Tristan also ran up.  
  
"It's not alright!" Joey wailed. "Vivalene fed me those lies about my friends and I actually believed her! I should've known then and there that she was a creep, but I just thought she was tellin' the truth and everyone else was lying. Marik and Kaiba are dead because of me!!!" He pulled away from Serenity and turned to go back down the stairs. "They're dead, and nothing will bring them back!!"  
  
"Joey . . ." Yugi tried to say, but Joey disappeared through the opening in the roof.  
  
"Yug, I just wanna be alone for a while," the Brooklyn boy said softly.  
  
"Is he going to be okay?" Serenity asked worriedly.  
  
"I don't know, Serenity," Yugi said sadly. "I don't know."  
  
****  
  
Joey wandered aimlessly through the streets of Domino City as the rain fell generously over him and over the buildings. Seto had told Joey not to blame himself for his death, but how could he not?  
  
Seto wanted to save you, Joey.  
  
Joey recognized Kasumi's soft voice, and he looked around for the little angel, but to no avail. "I know that!!" he cried.  
  
It was his choice, Joey. This was not your fault.  
  
But Joey couldn't believe that. "If I hadn't trusted Vivalene, Kaiba wouldn't have had to save me!!" he insisted, tears falling from his eyes.  
  
By now he found himself in front of the hospital, and he noticed Rishid standing outside the front doors. Shamefully he turned away, unable to think of looking Marik's brother in the eyes.  
  
"Joseph?" Rishid had noticed him.  
  
Joey stopped. He would have to talk to him now. Slowly he shuffled over, his shoulders slumped. "Man, I'm so sorry about Marik," he cried. "I'm sure you and Ishizu never want to see me again. It's my fault he's . . ."  
  
"Joseph." Rishid laid a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Master Marik is alive."  
  
Joey blinked, unable to believe it. "But . . . but he . . . Vivalene. . . ." He stammered around, struggling to get the words out. "Vivalene murdered him," the boy choked out at last, "and I didn't believe him when he told me how messed up she was!"  
  
"Vivalene tried to murder him," Rishid corrected softly, "but he survived. Come with me and I will show you."  
  
Joey backed up. "I . . . I couldn't," he protested. "Marik would never want to see me, not after what I've done! I couldn't face him." He looked down.  
  
"He will see you, Joseph," Rishid said firmly. "He has been asking about you."  
  
"Probably 'cause he hopes Vivalene made me suffer," Joey replied, "and I wouldn't blame him for that. I hurt everyone I care about!" He shook his head. "Man, I should've suffered. I should've died. But instead, my friends . . ." The boy trailed off in despair.  
  
"He was concerned for your safety, Joseph," Rishid told him. "Please come with me," he said again.  
  
This time Joey nodded forlornly. He had to apologize to Marik for what he'd said and done.  
  
****  
  
When they arrived back at Marik's room, the Egyptian boy was awake and staring out the window while Ishizu read to him in their native language. Both of them looked up when the door opened.  
  
"Master," Rishid said as he went in first, "I have brought Joseph."  
  
Joey came in slowly, looking sad and apprehensive. He brightened when he saw that Marik truly was alive.  
  
"Hello, Joseph," Ishizu said as she stood up. "Rishid and I will leave the two of you to converse."  
  
Joey walked over to the bed and looked his friend over. "Hey man. How are you feeling?" he asked.  
  
"Better than when I was dying," Marik replied wryly. "I see you have not suffered the same fate as I," he observed.  
  
Joey shook his head. "No, but I should've," he said sadly. "You were right, Marik. You were right about everything, but I just brushed you off and figured you didn't know what you were talking about." He paused. "Can you . . . ever forgive me?"   
  
Marik sighed. "Of course I can forgive you," he said at last.  
  
Joey blinked. "Just like that, after everything that happened?"  
  
"I do not blame you for what Vivalene did," Marik replied. "She would have tried to kill me whether you had listened or not. What happened to me was not your fault, Joey."  
  
Joey leaned back, looking relieved. "Thanks, man," he said softly. "You've been a real pal, even when I treated you like dirt. You really have changed from the old Marik I used to know and despise." He paused again. "I hope I can be as good a friend as you've been."  
  
"You are a good friend, Joey," Marik told him. "You only lost your way for a time. It can happen to anyone."  
  
****  
  
They spoke for a few more minutes and then Joey said goodbye and left. He felt a lot better knowing that Marik hadn't died, but there was still a heavy burden weighing him down. He knew he could never forgive himself for Seto's death. Joey had treated him worse than any of the others, even scathingly telling him that he wasn't any friend of his. And still Seto had sacrificed himself to save Joey from Vivalene. Joey would be dead if the other boy hadn't stepped in on the rooftop. "I'm sorry, Kaiba," Joey whispered now as he stared out the window at the rain. "Man, I'm so sorry . . ."  
  
"Joey? Is that you?!"  
  
Joey turned to see Tea coming toward him, her blue eyes shining with relief. "Hey Tea," he said quietly.  
  
"Oh, Joey, you're alright!" she exclaimed joyously. "We were so worried!"  
  
Joey tried to manage a small smile, but it didn't work. "I went to see Marik," he told her. "He said he forgives me for what I said to him. You guys have always stood by me, even when I've acted like a first-class jerk." He shook his head sadly. "I don't deserve such great friends, not after what I've done."  
  
"You're thinking about Kaiba, aren't you?" Tea said softly.  
  
Joey nodded sorrowfully. "Tea, he gave his life for me!" the boy cried.  
  
Tears spilled down Tea's cheeks. "Joey, there's something you need to know," she said quietly.  
  
Joey just stared at her. "What?!" he demanded.  
  
Instead of answering, Tea led Joey down the hall to a room and gently opened the door. "Kaiba's alive," she whispered, gesturing inside.  
  
Joey felt frozen. Seto had died in his arms hours before; he couldn't be alive!  
  
"Go on in," Tea encouraged him and then shut the door behind her.  
  
Joey went closer, his eyes wide. Seto was laying on the bed, Mokuba curled up in his arms. The brown-haired boy appeared to be asleep or unconscious, and he was breathing!  
  
"Kaiba?" Joey said softly in disbelief, but the other boy didn't answer, so Joey just watched him for a while in awe. Seto wasn't dead! It was a miracle.  
  
"You know, I'm aware of your presence."  
  
Joey was startled out of his thoughts by Seto's voice. Now the other boy's eyes were open and clear, and he had a typical smirk on his face.  
  
"Kaiba!!" Joey cried in delighted relief. "Oh man, you had me so shook up!"  
  
Seto held his sleeping brother close to his chest. "I'm assuming that you defeated Vivalene," he said flatly.  
  
Joey nodded solemnly and sat down next to him. "But I wouldn't even be here if you hadn't stepped in front of me on the roof," he said quietly. "You saved my life, Kaiba."  
  
Seto didn't answer immediately, seeming to be lost in his own thoughts.  
  
"You . . . you almost died because of me," Joey continued.  
  
Seto grunted. "But I didn't die."  
  
Joey shook his head. "You were willing to. Even after the rotten way I treated you—all those mean words I said when you were only trying to help me, and all the pushing and shoving—you were still willing to give your life for me!" He brushed away a tear. "Now I know who my real friends are." He laid a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "You're my friend, Kaiba. You always will be."  
  
Seto smirked crookedly. "Just promise me one thing, Wheeler."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"The next time you get involved with a strange woman and I warn you about her, for Heaven's sake, Wheeler—listen to me!!" 


	20. Epilogue

Notes: Thanx to everyone who's reviewed this story! :) It definitely won't be the last of my YGO fics, so I hope y'all will stick around to see what's up next! ^_~  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
"And this is KETY, Domino City's leader in music from the eighties—and I'm Joltin' JP, here to take you through another hour of fun, fun, fun!"  
  
It was several days later, and Yugi and the others had been invited to the KETY studios by JP Palmer and Bruce Von Wilkenson, both of whom were immensely relieved and grateful that everything was over.  
  
"Bakura!" Bruce exclaimed now, grabbing the boy by his shoulders. "I hired Mandy back to do Vivalene's old show in the mornings. Won't you please reconsider your decision and come to work for my station?"  
  
Bakura blinked, caught off guard. "Well, I . . ."  
  
"I knew you would!" Bruce declared, hauling him off. "You're on in forty-five minutes!"  
  
Yami Bakura sneered, following after them. This was going to be entertaining.  
  
Joey took a bite out of a Subway sandwich. "Did I hear that Bakura's father came back?"  
  
"That's right, buddy," Tristan said, nodding. "Bakura said that the guy left again last night. He was convinced that Bakura would be safe with Yami Bakura around."  
  
Joey laughed ironically. "Man, if he knew that Yami B.'s ultimate goal is to rule the world, he might've thought differently!" Pieces of tomato and lettuce dropped out from between the thick bread slices and fell onto the floor.  
  
Seto watched this in disgust. "I may have saved your life, Wheeler, but I don't have to stand around and see you make a ridiculous fool of yourself. I have better things to do with my time." He turned to leave and was suddenly embraced from behind by Mandy.  
  
"HIIII!!!" she cried, starry-eyed.  
  
Without a word, Seto took hold of Mandy's hands and released them from around his chest while Tea glared daggers at the girl.  
  
Yugi chuckled and leaned back. "Well, I'm ready for a break from all this mystery-solving!" he declared.  
  
"Me too," Tristan said firmly. "I've had enough of people running around trying to kill us!"  
  
The door opened and Marik appeared, a strange look on his face. "Joey, you are on television!" he cried.  
  
Everyone turned to stare at the Egyptian boy. "What?!" Joey gasped.  
  
JP, who was just wrapping up his show, turned to look as well. "Bernard and Elsa," he proclaimed with a funny smile.  
  
"Eh? What about Bernard and Elsa?" Joey demanded.  
  
"I heard them mentioning how they wanted to videotape Bruce Von Wilkenson and try to catch him in the act of committing a crime," JP explained. "They must've taken one of the security cameras in here and accidentally rewired it up at the television studio next door when they were trying to set things up."  
  
"WHAT?!" Joey burst out as some mustard from the sandwich shot across the room, narrowly missing Mokuba as he burst in.  
  
"Joey's on TV eating his sandwich!!" the boy declared.  
  
By now Tristan had collapsed on the floor in laughter. "All of Domino City is finding out what a sloppy eater Joey is!" he exclaimed.  
  
"I'm not a sloppy eater!!" Joey screamed in frustration.  
  
That's when Bruce returned with Bakura and Yami Bakura, looking triumphant. "Alright! Your show starts in five minutes!" he said, pushing Bakura down into the chair and handing him the headset.  
  
"But I . . ." Bakura groaned. "How did I ever get into this mess?!" he bemoaned.  
  
"Hey, you'll do fine," Yugi encouraged him.  
  
Bakura gave him a weak smile. "I'm afraid not."  
  
The On the Air button turned red and Yami Bakura grabbed the microphone. "Greetings, you foolish mortals of Domino City!" he began, sneering at Bakura.  
  
"Yami!!!" the boy screamed, grabbing the microphone back. "I'm terribly sorry about that," he apologized to the listeners.  
  
Yami Bakura reached around him and pressed a button on the computer, sending a Halloween laugh ricocheting around the room and drowning Bakura out.  
  
The teens rushed to cover their ears. "Turn it off!!" Tristan yelled.  
  
"Why should I?" Yami Bakura shot back.  
  
Frantically Bakura pressed another button and released a scream of horror. "Oh my!" he gasped.  
  
"Yes! Yes!" Bruce said happily. "The audience is eating it up! The ratings will go through the roof!"  
  
"Man, is that all you can ever think of?" Tristan said in frustration.  
  
"Hang in there, Bakura," Tea whispered comfortingly, laying a hand on his shoulder.  
  
Bakura smiled gratefully and turned back to the microphone. "We'll start off this hour with . . ."  
  
"'Everybody Wants to Rule the World,'" Yami Bakura supplied with a smirk, grabbing the microphone back. "Only everybody else had best stay out of my way, because I am the one who will someday reign over every last one of you!!!!"  
  
"Yami, please stop it!!" Bakura cried, leaping up and reaching for the microphone. Instead he slammed into the keyboard and activated a whole slew of sneeze recordings.  
  
"This is ridiculous," Seto muttered, again turning to leave.  
  
Before he could, Bakura tried desperately to take the microphone back and wound up sending both he and his Yami crashing to the floor. That, in turn, created a domino effect and sent everyone else to the floor as well.  
  
"What happened?!" Tea cried, finding herself getting caught in the microphone cord along with Bakura.  
  
"Uh, guys," Tristan said slowly as he tried to wrestle his way out from under the confused heap of his friends, "this probably isn't the best time to mention it, but I think Bernard and Elsa's tape is still running. We're all on television!"  
  
Everyone groaned.  
  
"What a way to end this case!" Joey cried.  
  
"Oh well, at least we aren't being chased by more murderous criminals," Bakura said, trying to smile.  
  
"Point taken," Seto grumbled in irritation. 


End file.
